March 17, 2004
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#14/15 GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS (23-9, 9-7 ACC) in the NCAA TOURNAMENT
March 19 & 21, 2004 * Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wis.
FRIDAY GAME TIMES (Central time)Boston College vs. Utah, 11:30 a.m.Georgia Tech vs. Northern Iowa, 30 min. afterWisconsin vs. Richmond, 6:30 p.m.Pittsburgh vs. UCF, 30 min. after
SUNDAY GAME TIMES (Central time) 1:15 and 3:45 p.m., teams TBA
TV: CBS (WGCL-TV in Atlanta); Tim Brando, Mike Gminski, Heather Cox
Radio: Georgia Tech/ISP Network (WQXI-AM 790, WTSH-FM 107.1); Wes Durham, pbp; Randy Waters, color
Tech Record Breakdown: Home: 12-3; Away: 7-5; Neutral: 4-1
Tech in the NCAA Tournament: Overall Record: 16-12 Sweet 16 appearances: 6 (1960, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1992, 1996 Elite Eight appearances: 2 (1985, 1990) Final Four appearances: 1 (1990) 2004 Record vs. NCAA Field: 8-6
Tech vs. Northern Iowa: first meeting Tech vs. Boston College: Overall: Tech leads 3-1 In the NCAA Tournament: Tech leads 1-0 Last meeting: 3-17-96, Tech d. BC, 103-89 Tech vs. Utah: never met
Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt: 137-80 (.631), 7th season overall 71-53 (.573), 4th season at Tech 0-2 in the NCAA Tournament
Northern Iowa coach Greg McDermott: 177-105 (.628), 10th season overall 46-41 (.529), 3rd season at Northern Iowa
Boston College coach Al Skinner: 259-220 (.541), 16th season overall 121-94 (.563), 7th season at Boston College
Utah interim coach Kerry Rupp: 8-3 (.727), 1st season overall 8-3 (.727), 1st season at Utah
THE TIP-OFF
> Georgia Tech is in the NCAA Tournament for the 13th time in its history and for the second time in four seasons under head coach Paul Hewitt. The Yellow Jackets are the No. 3 seed in the first-and-second-round site at the Bradley Center, and will face Northern Iowa (21-9), the champion of the Missouri Valley Conference, on Friday. The winner will face the survivor of another Friday first-round game between Boston College (23-9) of the Big East and Utah (24-8), the Mountain West Conference champion.
> The survivor of this four-team “pod” in which Tech is included will advance to the regional at St. Louis, Mo., (Edward Jones Dome) on Mar. 26 and 28.
> Tech (23-9 overall, 9-7 ACC) finished the regular season tied for third place in the Atlantic Coast Conference with Wake Forest. The Yellow Jackets were the No. 4 seed in the ACC Tournament in Greensboro, N.C., where they defeated North Carolina, 83-82, in the quarterfinals before bowing to Duke, 85-71, in the semifinals.
> Tech had won four straight games before its semfinal loss in the ACC Tournament, defeating Clemson (79-60) on Feb. 28 and Duke (76-68) on Mar. 3 on the road, Florida State (63-60) on Mar. 6 at home and North Carolina (83-82) in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament.
> Tech is 11-9 since beginning the season 12-0, and has won seven of its last 11 games entering the NCAA Tournament.
> This is the seventh Tech team to win at least 23 games. Only four teams have won more, in 1985, 1986, 1990 and 1996. Tech has won 20 games for the first time since the 1995-96 season, when the Yellow Jackets finished 24-12, won the ACC regular season at 13-3, reached the finals of the ACC Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16. It is the 11th 20-win season in the history of Georgia Tech basketball, and it is the third time head coach Paul Hewitt has coached a team to 20 wins (he did it twice in three seasons at Siena).
> Tech is in the Top 25 for the 16th straight week, entering the NCAA Tournament at No. 14 in the Associated Press poll and No. 15 in the ESPN/USA Today poll. The Yellow Jackets debuted at No. 13 (AP) and No. 15 (coaches) on Dec. 1 following their Preseason NIT wins over No. 1 Connecticut and No. 25 Texas Tech.
> Tech’s third-place finish in the ACC regular-season was the highest finish in four seasons under head coach Paul Hewitt and the highest finish since 1996. Tech’s 9-7 mark also was the best of Hewitt’s tenure and the best since 1996.
> Nine teams on Tech’s schedule this season have made the NCAA Tournament, including Connecticut (No. 2 seed), Louisiana-Lafayette (14), Texas Tech (8) and Virginia Commonwealth (13), all of whom the Yellow Jackets defeated. Five other teams from the ACC — Duke (1), Maryland (4), North Carolina (6), NC State (3) and Wake Forest (4) — made the 65-team field. Tech was 8-6 against those teams this season.
> Five other Tech opponents made the NIT field — Florida State, Georgia, Saint Louis, Tennessee and Virginia. Tech was 4-3 against those teams this season.
> Tech is 4-1 on neutral courts this season. Four of the five games have come against Top 25 opponents, including wins over No. 1 Connecticut on Nov. 26 and No. 25 Texas Tech on Nov. 28 in the Pre-Season NIT, and its ACC Tournament games against No. 16 North Carolina and No. 5 Duke.
> Tech is 6-5 vs. Top 25 teams this season.
TECH IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Georgia Tech is making its 13th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and the second in four seasons under head coach Paul Hewitt. Tech last made the 65-team field in 2001, losing to St. Joseph’s (66-62) in the first round of the West Regional in San Diego, Calif.
Tech’s next most recent NCAA berth came in 1996, when the Yellow Jackets, then under head coach Bobby Cremins, defeated Austin Peay State and Boston College to advance to the Sweet 16 before being eliminated by Cincinnati. Cremins guided Tech to 10 NCAA appearances, including nine straight 1985 to 1993. Among those was the school’s only Final Four appearance in 1990, where Tech was eliminated by eventual national champion UNLV.
Tech’s only other NCAA invitation came in 1960, when the Roger Kaiser-led Yellow Jackets made the second round before losing to eventual national champion Ohio State.
Tech has a 16-12 all-time record in the NCAA Tournament, has advanced to the Sweet 16 six times (1960, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1992, 1996), the Elite Eight twice (1985, 1990) and the Final Four once (1990).
Tech head coach Paul Hewitt has taken three teams to the NCAA Tournament in his seven seasons as a head coach. He guided Siena to the Big Dance in 1999, and the Yellow Jackets to the West Regional in 2001. Both teams lost in the first round.
Tech has been a No. 3 seed one other time, in 1996, and the Jackets went 2-1 and advanced to the Sweet 16.
TECH RETURNS TO SCENE OF “MIRACLE IN MILWAUKEE”
Georgia Tech is returning to the scene of one of the most memorable moments in its NCAA Tournament history. The Yellow Jackets played at the Bradley Center in 1992, as a No. 7 seed, and defeated Houston, 65-60, in the first round, erasing a 58-54 deficit with an 11-2 run in the final four minutes.
In the second round, Tech faced No. 2 seed Southern California, ranked sixth in the nation at the time. Rodney Chatman had put the Trojans up by two, 78-76, with a baseline drive past Tech freshman James Forrest with 2.2 seconds left. Matt Geiger’s inbounds pass from under the basket, intended for Jon Barry, was tipped out of bounds by USC, only 0.8 seconds remained on the clock. Forrest took Geiger’s inbounds pass near the sideline about 25 feet from the basket and threw in the first three-point shot of his career at the buzzer to lift Tech to a 79-78 victory.
The Jackets moved on to the Midwest Regional semifinal at Kansas City and lost to Memphis State, 83-79, in overtime.
SERIES INFORMATION ON TEAMS IN TECH’S POD
Northern Iowa: Tech has never met the Missouri Valley Conference champions in men’s basketball, and the Yellow Jackets have not fared well against members of that league. Tech is 1-5 all-time against MVC members.
Boston College: Tech is 3-1 all-time against the Eagles, with the last meeting coming on March 17, 1996 in the second round of the NCAA Southeast Region in Orlando, Fla. The Yellow Jackets won that game, 103-89, and moved on to the Sweet 16 in Lexington, Ky., where they were eliminated by Cincinnati. The previous meetings occurred in 1946 (Tech win), 1980 (lost in the Boston Garden) and 1986 (won in the Suntory Ball Tournament in Japan). Tech has not faced an Al Skinner-coached BC team.
Tech and Boston College have the most common opponents between them among the four teams in the Yellow Jackets’ part of the bracket. Both teams have played Clemson, Connecticut, NC State and St. John’s, with Tech posting a 4-2 mark against those teams. BC was 3-2.
Utah: Tech has never played the Runnin’ Utes in men’s basketball, but both teams were in the final four of this year’s Preseason NIT in Madison Square Garden. The Yellow Jackets defeated Connecticut (77-61) and Texas Tech (85-65), and Utah lost to both in reverse order, 65-54 to the Red Raiders and 77-46 to the Huskies.
TECH BUILDS MOMENTUM
Despite Georgia Tech’s loss to Duke in the ACC Tournament semifinals, the Yellow Jackets enter the NCAA Tournament with some momentum, created by winning four straight games prior to the Duke loss and forging a third-place tie in the ACC regular season. It was Tech’s best ACC finish in four seasons under head coach Paul Hewitt and its best since 1996.
Tech was 6-7 on Feb. 25 following two straight home losses to Wake Forest and NC State. But the Jackets earned a pair of road wins at Clemson and No. 3 Duke before finishing out the regular season with a homecourt win against Florida State and then defeating No. 16 North Carolina in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament,.
> Over Tech’s last five games, the Yellow Jackets have shot 47.1 percent from the floor while holding their opponents to 38.4 percent from the floor and 27.3 percent from three-point range. Tech has also shot 75.4 percent from the free throw line.
> B.J. Elder, who averaged 20.5 points in Tech’s two ACC Tournament games, is Tech’s top scorer at 16.0 ppg over the five-game stretch, followed by Jarrett Jack at 13.8, Marvin Lewis at 12.8 and Luke Schenscher at 10.0.
A LOOK AT TECH’S 20-WIN SEASONS
This year’s Georgia Tech team is the 11th in school history to win 20 games, but only four of those teams has ever won more than 23 (Tech’s current win total). Tech won 28 games, the school record, during its Final Four season of 1990, and 27 each in 1985 and 1986. Tech won 24 games in 1996.
Here is a quick look at Tech’s 20-win campaigns, listed in order of highest win total first: 28 (1990), 27 (1985, 1986), 24 (1996), 23 (1971, 1992, 2004), 22 (1960, 1988), 21 (1963), 20 (1989).
SEASON FULL OF HIGHLIGHTS
Georgia Tech is enjoying its finest season since 1995-96, when the Yellow Jackets went 24-12 and advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament.
Tech burst on the national scene and debuted in both Top 25 polls after sweeping through the Preseason NIT, knocking off No. 1 Connecticut and No. 25 Texas Tech in Madison Square Garden to earn the title. That springboard launched the Yellow Jackets to the best start in school history at 12-0.
Since then, Tech has forged a 9-7 record in the ACC, the strongest conference in the nation this year according to the RPI Report. That run included Tech’s first win at Wake Forest (then ranked No. 10) since 1998, its first win at Maryland (the ACC Tournament Champion) since 1994 and its first season-sweep over the Terrapins since 1993, its first win over Duke (then ranked No. 3) in 15 games (a 76-68 win in Durham on Mar. 3), and two wins over North Carolina (Feb. 10 at home and Mar. 12 in the ACC Tournament). Tech defeated every ACC team this season except NC State.
Tech defeated three non-conference teams which won their respective conference championships, including Louisiana-Lafayette (Sun Belt), Virginia Commonwealth (Colonial Athletic Association) and Connecticut (Big East).
QUICK LOOK AT TECH
Three Tech players are averaging in double figures this season, led by 6-4 junior B.J. Elder at 16.3 points a game, 6-3 sophomore Jarrett Jack (12.7 ppg), 6-4 senior Marvin Lewis (11.4 ppg).
For the last 12 games, Tech has used the starting lineup with which it played the first 13 games of the season — Jack, Lewis and Elder at the guards, 6-7 junior Anthony McHenry at forward and 7-1 junior Luke Schenscher at center. The Jackets are 19-6 with this lineup, 4-3 with other starting fives. Jack is the only player to start every game for Tech this season.
Elder, the ACC’s fifth-leading scorer during the regular season, averaged 20.5 points in Tech’s two ACC Tournament games. He has scored in double figures in 11 straight games, including 30 against North Carolina on Feb. 10, 27 on Feb. 22 against Wake Forest and 25 against Duke in the ACC Tournament. He has shot 46.5 percent over that stretch (44.8 from three-point range), and stands at 42.2 percent overall and 37.6 percent from three-point range for the season.
Jack has averaged 15.1 points in Tech’s last eight games, including a 17-point game against North Carolina in the ACC Tournament in which he drained the game-winning shot with 1.4 seconds left. He ranks third in the ACC in assist average (5.84 per game) and fifth in steals (1.91 per game), while shooting 46.9 percent from the floor.
Schenscher, who scored 17 points with a career-best 17 rebounds against North Carolina in the ACC Tournament, has averaged 11.0 points in his last six games. He averages 8.8 points and a team-high 6.6 rebounds overall this season (9.1 ppg and 6.9 rpg vs. the ACC), hits 55.6 percent of his shots and ranks fourth in the league in blocks (1.50 per game).
Lewis has averaged 12.3 points over his last six games, including a season-high for a conference game with 21 against Florida State in Tech’s final regular-season game. He is shooting 44.9 percent from the floor and 41.9 percent from three-point range (2nd in the ACC), and had a 45.7-percent success rate in ACC games this season.
McHenry, Tech’s primary defensive specialist who has started 27 of Tech’s 32 games this season, averages 2.8 points and 3.1 rebounds, but has scored 22 in the Jackets last five outings.
Tech uses four primary reserves, including Isma’il Muhammad, a 6-6 defensive whiz who averages 9.8 points per game. Muhammad, who averaged 10.5 points in the ACC Tournament, has made 60.5 percent of his field goal attempts this season and is Tech’s third-best rebounder at 4.6 per game.
Bynum, Tech’s backup point guard averaging 9.6 points per game for the season, averaged 11.2 points per game against the league during the regular season. Clarence Moore, a 6-5 senior, averages 5.8 points and 4.5 rebounds for the season, and has hit 41.2 percent from three-point range. Theodis Tarver, a 6-9 sophomore (1.5 ppg, 1.6 ppg) and 6-8 senior Robert Brooks (1.5 ppg, 1.6 rpg) are Schenscher’s backups in the post.
ONLY THREE TECH PLAYERS HAVE NCAA TOURNAMENT EXPERIENCE
Only seniors Marvin Lewis and Robert Brooks played in Georgia Tech’s last NCAA Tournament game, a 66-62 loss to St. Joseph’s in the 2001 West Regional first round in San Diego. Clarence Moore was on that Tech team, but played only five games early that season because of a broken foot.
Will Bynum is the only other Tech player with NCAA Tournament experience, playing three games in the 2002 West Regional for Arizona.
The three players combined have scored 20 points in NCAA Tournament play.
ELDER, JACK MAKE ALL-ACC TEAMS
Georgia Tech backcourt mates B.J. Elder and Jarrett Jack each were named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference teams by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association.
Elder, a 6-4 junior from Madison, Ga., earned a spot on the All-ACC second team, while Jack, a 6-3 sophomore from Fort Washington, Md., made the third team. Elder made the team for the second time, having earned a third-team spot as a sophomore last season.
Isma’il Muhammad, a 6-6 forward from Atlanta, made the ACC All-Defensive team chosen by Barry Jacobs of the Fan’s Guide to ACC Basketball in consultation with the conference coaches. He did not make the ACSMA all-defensive team.
DEFENSE REMAINS TECH FOUNDATION
Defensive pressure, both half-court and full-court, continues to be the catalyst for Tech and creates the offensive opportunities that have the Yellow Jackets averaging 78.1 points a game (fourth in the ACC, best in Paul Hewitt’s four years at Tech) and shooting 47.0 percent from the floor (third in the ACC, also Tech’s best under Hewitt).
> Tech ranks first in the ACC in field goal percentage defense in all games, first in league games only (40.8 pct.), and is the seventh-best in NCAA Division I basketball. Tech also leads the ACC in both three-point percentage defense in all games and in league games only (32.2 pct.).
> Tech’s FG percentage allowance of 38.6 percent would be the fifth lowest in school history if the season ended today, and the three-point yield would be a school record.
> Tech’s defensive performance at Duke on Mar. 3 was reminiscent of its early-season efforts. The Jackets held the Blue Devils to just 34.3 percent from the floor and 27.6 percent from three-point range, blocked a season-high 11 shots and forced 20 turnovers.
> In its last five games, Tech has allowed teams to shoot just 38.4 percent collectively from the floor and 27.3 percent from three-point range. Tech also has blocked 24 shots, forced 72 turnovers and taken 36 steals.
> The Jackets have allowed only 12 teams to shoot 40 percent or better this season, and only four to shoot 50 percent, while limiting opponents to 38.6 percent overall and 29.4 percent from three-point range.
> Tech is 22-2 this season when it holds its opponent to less than 80 points, and 1-7 when the opponent scores 80 or more (Tech defeated North Carolina, 83-82, in the ACC Tournament). NC State is the only team to beat Tech (both meetings this season) without scoring 80 points.
> Tech also ranks third in the ACC and 30th nationally in blocked shots (4.8 per game), and ranks second in the conference in league games only (5.5 per game).
EXTRA CREDIT
While Georgia Tech has defended the three-point shot far better this season than last, it is also shooting the three far better.
Tech has made 39.9 percent of its treys in the last 11 games (81-of-203) dating back to Feb. 7 at Tennessee. That includes a 42.7-percent success rate in games on the road (35-of-82).
The Yellow Jackets have shot threes at a 37.4-percent rate for the entire season, which ranks third in the ACC. Tech ranks fifth in the league in three-pointers made per game (7.25). Tech ranked sixth in the ACC last season in three-point field goal percentage (35.2), and eighth in three-pointers per game (5.74).
In ACC games only during the regular season, Tech shot 38.8 percent from three-point range, which led the conference, and made 7.5 per game, which ranked fourth.
Individually, Marvin Lewis is at a career-best 41.9 percent (45.7 percent against the league during the regular season), while B.J. Elder has made threes at a 37.6-percent clip overall, 38.8 percent against the ACC during the regular season. Will Bynum and Jarrett Jack also have been threats from long range, combining to make 33.1 percent in all games and 36.4 percent in ACC games.
TECH IS PH-BALANCED
Just about anyway you slice it, Georgia Tech has produced a balance offensive attack this season. If the Yellow Jackets keep up their current ways, they will post the highest team scoring averaging since the 1995-96 season (80.2 ppg).
> For most of the season, Tech had five players averaging in double figures. Currently, five are at 9.6 points per game or better, with B.J. Elder (16.3), Jarrett Jack (12.7) and Marvin Lewis (11.4) in double digits.
> In ACC games, four Tech players averaged in double figures this season, six averaged 8.3 or higher. Five players averaged in double figures in Tech’s eight ACC road games.
> Against Top 25 opposition, four players are averaging in double figures and six are at 9.7 points per game or higher.
BENCH KEY PART OF TECH SUCCESS
For proof of the importance of Georgia Tech’s bench, look no further than the fact that the Yellow Jackets’ leading scorer has come off the bench nine times this season. In the last 16 games, Tech has had 18 players score in double figures off the bench.
Tech is getting 26.4 points per game from its bench this season, the best in the tenure of head coach Paul Hewitt. The Jackets averaged 24.9 bench points in ACC games during the regular season. Tech averaged 16.5 points from its bench last season, 22.2 points per game in 2001-02, and 20.6 in Hewitt’s first season.
Tech’s primary reserves, forwards Clarence Moore and Isma’il Muhammad and guard Will Bynum, dubbed the “G-Squad” by Moore, have combined to average 25.2 points a game this season and shoot 48.8 percent from the floor. They also provide the Jackets a high level of energy and defensive intensity when they come onto the floor.
FASTBREAK POINTS
> Georgia Tech’s strength of schedule is rated the 6th most difficult in the country by the Sagarin Index and 24th by the RPI Report. Tech is 9-7 vs. the Top 50 of the RPI and 16-9 against teams in the top 100.
> The ACC is the strongest conference in the nation in both the RPI Report and Sagarin Index, and is the only conference to have all of its teams in the top 80 of the RPI.
> Tech shot 47.3 percent from the floor and 75.0 percent from the foul line in its two ACC Tournament games.
> The Yellow Jackets were outrebounded on average 40-33 in the ACC Tournament and gave up 33 offensive rebounds for 36 second-chance points.
> Of the four teams in Tech’s pod in the NCAA Tournament, Tech has the highest scoring average and scoring margin, but has given up the most points per game.
> Of the four, only Utah has shot the ball better than Tech this season — 47.4 percent overall to 47.0, and 39.5 percent from three-point range to 37.4.
> Tech has the best field goal percentage among the four teams, and the best three-point percentage.
> Tech has committed the most turnovers per game among the four, but has also forced the most and has the best turnover margin.
> Tech won four of its last five road games during the regular season, the only loss at Virginia on Feb. 14. The wins came at Tennessee, Maryland, Clemson and Duke. The Jackets shot 49.8 percent in those games and 42.7 percent from three-point range.
> In its last five games, Tech has made 56 of 68 free throws in the second half (82.4 percent) and 75.4 percent overall. Tech shot 71.4 percent from the free throw line in ACC games during the regular season, compared to 65.5 percent in non-conference games. Four Tech players made better than 78 percent of their free throws in league games (Will Bynum at 85.7, Marvin Lewis at 81.8, Jarrett Jack at 80.5, B.J. Elder at 78.7).
> Tech’s 10.8-point margin of victory this season is the third highest in the history of Tech basketball.
> Tech has been whistled for 462 fouls in the last 20 games (23.1 per game) after averaging just 18 in its first 12 games. Opponents have been to the free throw line 553 times in those games, compared to 481 for Tech. Sixteen Tech players have fouled out in the 20 games, compared with only three in the first 12.
> Only five times in 16 conference games and two ACC Tournament games has Tech been called for fewer fouls than its opponent. One of those came Mar. 3 at Duke (22 to 24).
> Giving up 80 points in a game has resulted in a loss for Tech almost every time this season — Tech is 1-7 when the opponent has scored 80 or more. NC State is the only team to defeat Tech this season without scoring 80 points (76-72 on Jan. 24, and 79-69 on Feb. 25), and Tech scored its only win when giving up 80 against North Carolina (83-82) in the ACC Tournament. The Jackets are 7-25 in the Paul Hewitt tenure when they give up 80 points. Conversely, when Tech has allowed less than 70 points, it is 20-0.
ROAD REVERSAL
At 7-5, Georgia Tech posted its best road record since 1995-96, when the Yellow Jackets went 7-2 on opponents home floors, won its first ACC championship and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16. This comes one year after Tech went 2-11 on the road, including 0-for-its-first-10 and a 1-7 mark in the ACC.
This year’s road record included four ACC wins, the most for Tech in a season since the 1995-96 campaign. Only one Tech team has ever won five ACC games on the road (1985-86).
Tech, which is 4-1 on neutral courts this season, has won 13 of its last 21 games away from its home court and nine of its last 15 on opponents’ home courts.
Eleven of Tech’s 23 wins this season have occurred away from home, including a Jan. 20 triumph at No. 10 Wake Forest and Wednesday’s triumph at No. 3 Duke. Tech also has earned wins at Cornell, Ohio State and Tennessee this season, along with Preseason NIT wins at Madison Square Garden against No. 1 Connecticut and No. 25 Texas Tech.
