THE FLATS – Deivon Smith recorded his second-straight double-double, but a 17-5 mid-game run by Pitt proved to be the difference in Georgia Tech men’s basketball’s 71-60 loss to the visiting Panthers on Saturday afternoon at McCamish Pavilion.
A 6-foot-1 guard, Smith scored 15 points and grabbed a career-high-tying 11 rebounds for his second double-double of the week (he had 16 points and 10 rebounds in Tuesday’s overtime loss at Notre Dame). However, Smith’s performance couldn’t overcome the Yellow Jackets’ mid-game lull, which saw Tech’s 31-29 lead with 3:21 to go in first half turn into a 46-36 deficit with less than 15 minutes to go in the game.
The other defining stat in Tech’s 11-point loss was a 17-point differential at the free-throw line, as Pitt made 17-of-20 free throws while the Jackets went 0-for-3.
In addition to Smith’s double-double, Deebo Coleman scored 13 points and Rodney Howard pulled down 10 rebounds to help lead the Yellow Jackets (8-9, 1-6 ACC). As a team, Tech made 12 3-pointers, three more than it had previously made in an Atlantic Coast Conference game this season. However, the Jackets made just 12 shots inside the arc and was outscored 30-16 in the paint.
Four players scored in double-figures for Pitt, led by Nike Sibande’s 21 points.
Georgia Tech continues a three-game homestand on Tuesday when it hosts NC State. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at McCamish Pavilion and the contest will be televised nationally on ACC Network.
For the second straight game, Deivon Smith reached double digits in points (15) and rebounds (11). (photo by Danny Karnik)
Post-Game Notes
TEAM NOTES
- Georgia Tech’s 12 three-point field goals were three more than it had made in an ACC game previously this season (previous – 9 vs. North Carolina, Miami, Florida State) and one off its season high of 13 vs. Alabama State. The last time the Yellow Jackets made more threes in ACC game was Jan. 20, 2021 against Clemson (16).
- Tech was 12-of-29 from three-point range (41.4 pct.), its second-highest percentage of the season after the 43,8 percent (7-of-16) is logged against Virginia.
- Tech is 45-of-120 (37.5 percent) from three-point range over its last five games, and are at 33.7 percent for all games this season, 34.9 percent in ACC games.
- Tech has averaged 24.1 three-point attempts in ACC games, trying at least 20 in every game except Virginia (16).
- Despite the high percentage from distance, the Yellow Jackets posted their third-lowest overall field goal percentage (36.4) of the season against Pitt. Only against Utah (34.8) and Marquette (33.8) did they miss a higher percentage.
- Tech is 1-9 this season when the opponent makes a higher percentage of its field goal attempts, 7-0 when it has a better percentage.
- Tech’s bench has outscored that of its opponent 11 times in 17 games this season, getting 30 points from its reserves to Pitt’s 21. It was the sixth time this season Tech’s bench has provided 30 or more points. The Jackets entered this weekend’s games No. 1 in the ACC in bench scoring (22.8 ppg).
- Nine or more Yellow Jackets have taken the court in 13 of 17 games. Tech ranks No. 138 in the nation this season in bench minutes (32.5 pct. entering the game), and only one other Josh Pastner Tech team has seen its reserves play more.
- Tech leads the ACC and ranked 10 in the nation in three-point defense (28.5 pct.) – Pitt hit 6-of-20 (30 pct.) against the Jackets. Notre Dame, Virginia and FSU combined to hit 29-of-71 (40.8 pct.) against the Jackets, while North Carolina, Clemson, Miami and Pitt were 19-for-83 combined (22.8 pct.).
- Tech went 0-for-3 from the foul line, the first time it did not make a free throw since Jan. 7, 104 (0-for-6 at Duke). Tech had been 36-of-43 (83.7 pct.) from the foul line combined in its three games and has connected on 72.9 percent from the stripe in ACC games.
INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHTS
- Deivon Smith has point-rebound double-doubles in two consecutive games, and posted his third double-digit rebound game as a Yellow Jacket with his 15 points and 11 rebounds against Pitt. The 11 rebounds matched his career-best of 11 last season against Wisconsin.
- Smith has scored 31 points in Tech’s last two games after tallying just 17 in the six games before that.
- Over his last four games, Smith has 35 rebounds (8.75 per game).
- Deebo Coleman has reached double-figure points in three of his last four games (11.0 ppg), and has 14 rebounds and nine assists over that stretch.
- Coleman’s three 3-point field goals matched his season high (3-5 Dec. 10 at North Carolina, 3-6 on Nov. 17 vs. NIU).
- Tristan Maxwell’s eight points were his most in an ACC game since his career-high 22-point effort last Jan. 12 at Boston College.
- Miles Kelly (6 points vs, Pitt) snapped an 11-game streak of scoring in double digits. Entering the weekend, he held the second highest scoring average improvement over last year (9.9 points-per-game) behind Virginia Tech’s Sean Pedulla (plus-11.4 ppg).
- Kelly hit 2-of-5 from three-point range against the Panthers and is 36-of-81 (44.4 percent) over his last 12 games.
- Kelly has hit his last 23 free throw attempts dating back to the Iowa game on Nov. 28, when he made the second of his two attempts. He did not attempt a free throw against Pitt and is 16-for-16 in ACC games.
- Rodney Howard played a season-high 33:38 against Pitt and collected 10 rebounds for the third time this season.
- Howard has connected on 30-of-45 shots from the floor (66.7 pct.) dating back to Nov. 23 vs. Marquette, covering 12 games. That includes a streak of 13 consecutive makes from his last two attempts of the Northeastern game through his first four of the Alabama State game. For the season he has connected on 610.3 percent of his field goal tries, 57.7 percent in ACC games.
Rodney Howard played a season-high 33:38 and grabbed 10 rebound to go with six points. (photo by Danny Karnik)
