Tech Hosts Lamar to Open 2018-19 Season

THE FLATS  –  Georgia Tech opens its 104th season of basketball when the Yellow Jackets host Lamar at 7:30 p.m. Friday night at McCamish Pavilion.

Tech (13-19, 6-12 ACC in 2017-18) enters its third season under head coach Josh Pastner, having compiled a 34-35 record over the past two seasons. Friday’s game is the first of four home games at McCamish Pavilion that comprise the Deep South Showcase. Lamar (19-14, 11-7 Southland Conference), coming off a trip to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament last March, began its sixth season under head coach Tic Price with a 79-59 homecourt victory over Huston-Tillotson Tuesday night.

Friday’s game will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra, available through the ESPN app. Radio coverage is provided on the Georgia Tech IMG Sports Network, airing in Atlanta on 680 AM and 93.7 FM the Fan. The Tech broadcast can also be heard on satellite radio (XM ch. 388, internet ch. 974).

Game notes   |  Coach Pastner Tuesday press conference  |  Watch online

STARTING LINEUP

• 104th season – Georgia Tech begins its 104th season of basketball with an all-time record of 1,362-1,226.
• At McCamish – Georgia Tech is beginning its seventh season playing its home games in McCamish Pavilion, where it has a 72-37 record.
• Season openers – Tech has won its last 10 season openers at home, dating back to the 2007-08 season (83-74 loss to UNC Greensboro).
• Tested early – Georgia Tech opens its season against a pair of teams that played in post-season tournaments last March. Lamar competed in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament and won 19 games last season, while Tennessee, the Jackets’ game 2 opponent, won a share of the Southeastern Conference title and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
• Fortnight – The Yellow Jackets have a full roster (15 players) available to play against Lamar Friday night. Several players have missed significant time during pre-season practice with injuries, most notably freshman guard Michael Devoe with a right toe injury, but all are cleared to play. Devoe had been sidelined since before the start of official pre-season practice but returned to the court Tuesday. He did not play in the exhibition game against Florida Tech.
• Unlucky 13 – Tech was picked to finish 13th in the Atlantic Coast Conference this season in a vote of the ACC media, ahead of Pittsburgh and Wake Forest. The Yellow Jackets finished 13th last season.
• Seven – Number of freshmen and sophomores expected to play significant roles for the Yellow Jackets this season.
• Four – Number of eligible fifth-year (Brandon Alston, Abdoulaye Gueye) or fourth-year (Sylvester Ogbonda, Shembari Phillips) student-athletes on Tech’s roster this season.
• 536 – Career points for Brandon Alston, the most of any current Tech player. Shembari Phillips is next with 369, followed by Jose Alvarado with 303 and Abdoulaye Gueye with 209. Georgia Tech finished last season with a trio of 1,000-point career scorers on its roster for the first time since 1989.

SERIES VS. LAMAR

• Georgia Tech and Lamar have never met on the hardwood. The Yellow Jackets have a 3-0 all-time record against members of the Southland Conference, most recently defeating Southeastern Louisiana, 75-62, on Dec. 21, 2015.
• First meetings – Lamar is the first of two opponents Georgia Tech will face this season for the first time in program history. Prairie View A&M (Nov. 23) is the other.

NOTABLE FROM TECH’S EXHIBITION WIN

• Sophomore forward Evan Cole finished with a double-double behind 16 points and 10 rebounds as Georgia Tech dominated Florida Tech in an 87-36 rout in exhibition play Saturday night. A total of 14 different Yellow Jackets took the floor.
• In the first meeting between the opponents, the Panthers and Yellow Jackets kept it close in the early going. The teams stood tied at 14-apiece at the 8:20 mark of the first half before Georgia Tech began to pull away. Hitting a triple at 5:57, sophomore guard Curtis Haywood pushed Georgia Tech in front by double-digits for the first time as the Jackets took a 25-14 edge. Senior forqard Abdoulaye Gueye, who finished with eight points, sparked a 9-1 run that closed the first half and sent the Yellow Jackets into the locker room comfortable ahead, 36-17.
• Georgia Tech outscored Florida Tech 51-19 in the second half and grabbed its largest lead of 54 points off a free throw from Malachi Rice late in the period.
• Tech held the Panthers to a 25.2 percent shooting efficiency forced 26 turnovers on the evening, while the Jackets took 12 steals.
• Tech won the battle on the glass, 57-33.
• Tech’s top four guards in the game – starters Jose Alvarado, Shembari Phillips and Curtis Haywood II and reserve Brandon Alston – combined for 14 assists and three turnovers.
• Alvarado had 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists in 21 minutes.
• Freshman forward Kristian Sjolund was Tech’s other player in double figures with 10 points, including a pair of threes.
• Tech made 10 of 26 three-point attempts (38.5 percent).
• Reserve center Sylvester Ogbonda grabbed 11 rebounds in 13 minutes.

SEASON-TICKET HOLDER DISCOUNTS AND T-SHIRTS – Season-ticket holders can receive a 20-percent discount at select concession stands inside McCamish Pavilion, and a 25-percent discount off a single item at the Georgia Tech Bookstore location inside McCamish Pavilion, behind section 115. Season-ticket holders can simply present their season ticket prior to purchase to receive the discount. Participating concession locations will be clearly marked with appropriate signage.

SEASON-TICKET HOLDER T-SHIRTS – This season, each full season-ticket holder will receive an exclusive gold adidas performance t-shirt for each ticket purchased.  The voucher(s) for this shirt has included with each patron’s season tickets. The voucher can be redeemed at the t-shirt redemption table behind section 101 in McCamish Pavilion during any non-conference home game (last non-conference game is Jan. 2 vs. USC Upstate).  Sizes from XS-XXL are available and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, and pickup will conclude at the end of halftime during each game.

CLEAR BAG POLICY – To provide a safer environment for the public and significantly expedite fan entry, the GTAA implemented a policy beginning with the 2018 football season that limits the size and type of bags that may be brought into athletics facilities. This policy will continue with men’s basketball games at McCamish Pavilion. Prohibited items include, but are not limited to: purses larger than a 4.5″ x 6.5″ clutch bag, coolers, briefcases, backpacks, fanny packs, grocery bags, cinch bags, non-approved chair backs and seat cushions, luggage of any kind, computer bags and camera bags or any bag larger than the permissible size.

Full policy | Clear Bag FAQs

COMPLIMENTARY BAG VALET – A complimentary bag valet will be available to fans who fail to comply with the clear bag policy. The bag valet location will be located at the Byers Tennis Complex either inside the main lobby or located in a tent in the exterior courtyard. The location will be determined based on weather conditions.

SELF-SERVICE SCANNING KIOSKS – Self-service ticket scanning kiosks will be added to entrances at McCamish Pavilion to speed up entry procedures on game days.

ABOUT GEORGIA TECH MEN’S BASKETBALL

Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball team is in its third year under head coach Josh Pastner. Tech has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since 1979, won three ACC Championships (1985, 1990, 1993), played in the NCAA Tournament 16 times and played in two Final Fours (1990, 2004). Connect with Georgia Tech Men’s Basketball on social media by liking their Facebook Page, or following on Twitter (@GTMBB) and Instagram.

For more information on Tech basketball, visit Ramblinwreck.com. Tickets for men’s basketball can be purchased here.