Jan. 2, 2016
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– MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
• Georgia Tech starting lineup: Heath, Georges-Hunt, Smith, Mitchell, Jacobs
• First subs for Georgia Tech: Lammers at the 17:36 mark of the first half
• On the floor for Georgia Tech at the end: Heyward, Jackson, Smith, Stephens, White
• Opening tap won by Georgia Tech. Tech has won the opening tap six times in 14 games this season.
• Series record vs. North Carolina: Tech is 22-65 overall, 5-31 on the road, 4-24 at the Smith Center, 0-7 under Brian Gregory, 8-13 vs. Roy Williams
• Current series streak: North Carolina has won the last seven meetings
• Georgia Tech is 8-1 at McCamish Pavilion this season, 37-22 in its fourth season in the building, 37-22 under Brian Gregory
• Georgia Tech’s next game: January 9, 2016 at #25 Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. ET, Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh, Pa.
TEAM NOTES
• Georgia Tech’s starting lineup – Josh Heath, Marcus Georges-Hunt and Adam Smith at the guards, Charles Mitchell and Nick Jacobs at forward – is the same one it has used in 12 of 14 games. The Yellow Jackets are 8-4 with that starting lineup.
• Tech was out-rebounded for the third time in 14 games, 39-29 (there has been one tie, at Georgia). The Jackets have a plus-8.9 rebounding advantage for the season, having come into the game 17th in the nation and third in the ACC in that category.
• Tech led at the half for the 12th time in 14 games this season, but fell to 8-3 when doing so. • Tech continued its recent success taking care of the ball, committing just nine turnovers in the game. It was the seventh time this season the Jackets have stayed under 10 and the fourth game in a row. Nationally, the Jackets have improved from 195th in the nation last year to 22nd this year (10.5 per game). North Carolina scored only nine points off those turnovers and only 10 fast break points.
• Tech assisted on 16 of its 27 field goals and improved its season assist average as a team to 15.1. The Jackets entered the game ranked 94th nationally in that category after finishing the 2014-15 season 244th.
• Tech went 7-for-15 from three-point range (6-of-10 by Adam Smith) and improved its season success rate to 36.7 percent. Tech has made 35 percent or better in eight straight games, hitting 40.7 percent collectively in those games. The Jackets entered the North Carolina game 110th nationally in three-point percentage after ranking 343rd last season.
• Tech exceeded 70 points for the seventh time in the last eight games and for the 10th time this season. Tech scored 70 or more only six times last season. But the Yellow Jackets lost for the first time this season when doing so (9-1 record) and are 38-13 under Brian Gregory when scoring 70 or more.
• Tech’s scoring average of 77.7 points is its highest since the 2006-07 season.
• Tech had a significant deficit in free throws attempted in the game but shot them well (15-for-19), improving its season success rate to 71.5 percent. That is the Yellow Jackets’ best percentage since the 1994-95 season (72.0).
• Tech has averaged 68.9 offensive possessions this season compared to 63.1 last season. Its team offensive efficiency rating is 112.8 compared to 97.2 last season. The Jackets entered the game ranked 62nd nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency according to KenPom.com.
• Tech also has made improvements in points off turnovers (13.9 compared to 13.0 last season), second-chance points (15.2 to 12.7), points in the paint (32.4 to 32.2) and fast break points (10.1 to 8.3).
• Tech used 11 players in the game, nine of them played 10 or more minutes and and eight of them scored.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
• Marcus Georges-Hunt scored a game-high 25 points to match his career high (Charlotte last season) and establish a career best against an ACC team. It was his fourth game of 20+ points this season and the 13th of his career.
• Georges-Hunt made 12 of 15 free throws in the game, both career high numbers. Previous highs were 11-of-12 on Dec. 13 against VCU.
• Georges-Hunt improved his career scoring total to 1,341 points and holds 22nd place on Georgia Tech’s all-time list. He needs 21 to catch Bobby Kimmel (1,362 points from 1954-57), who holds 21st place.
• Georges-Hunt reached double figures for the 11th time in 14 games this season and for 74th time in 108 career games at Georgia Tech. It was his 12th game of 20 or more points in his career, third this year.
• Georges-Hunt grabbed six rebounds for the second straight game and has 506 for his career. He became the 19th Tech player to reach 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in his career in Tech’s Dec. 29 game against Duquesne.
• Adam Smith scored 20 points and reached double figures for the 11th ime this season. He has scored in double figures 58 times in his career and has 1,212 career points.
• Smith knocked down six threes in the game, matching his career best set last season for Virginia Tech in a victory over Pittsburgh. His previous best at Georgia Tech was five in seven attempts on Nov. 26 against Arkansas. Smith has made three or threes in five straight games and is 20-for-39 (51.3 percent) in that stretch. He ranks third in the ACC in three-pointers per game (3.14) and seventh in percentage this season (now 45.4 percent).
• Smith has made at least one in every game this season and in his last 16 straight games dating back to last season. He has made at least one in 83 of 92 games in his career for a total of 208 after tonight. His career total would rank among Georgia Tech’s all-time top 10.
• In 14 games, Smith has made more three-pointers (44) than Tech’s leader in three of the last four seasons, and the most since Trae Golden’s 46 in 2013-14.
• Charles Mitchell didn’t get a double-double but scored 14 points while playing only 18 minutes due to foul trouble. It was Mitchell’s 43rd career double-digit scoring game. He also had six rebounds.
• Josh Heath and Travis Jorgenson combined for 11 assists and four turnovers against North Carolina, continuing a trend this season in which they have 99 assists and 26 turnovers collectively, a ratio of 3.81-1. Tech has a 1.44-1 ratio as a team, fifth in the ACC. Heath himself ranks third in the ACC at 3.39-1.
• Ben Lammers put together another excellent game off the bench with five points (1-5 FG, 3-4 FT FG), six rebounds, a block, a steal and an assist in 21 minutes, one off his career high. Lammers is one off the team lead in blocked shots with 15 despite averaging 14.6 minutes per game. • Nick Jacobs set a career-best with four steals
