November 15, 2018

Tech Returns Home to Face East Carolina

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

Tech (1-1), in its third season under head coach Josh Pastner, returns home after dropping a 66-53 decision at No. 5 Tennessee Tuesday night in Knoxville, following an 88-69 victory over Lamar in the season opener at home last Friday.

East Carolina (2-1), whose head coach Joe Dooley is in his first season of his second stint at the helm of the Pirates, ventures away from home for the first time this season. ECU has beaten Delaware State (81-56) and Lamar (84-78 in overtime), sandwiched around a 73-72 loss to James Madison in Greenville, N.C.

Friday’s game will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra 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. 386, internet ch. 973).

Game notes | Coach Pastner Tuesday press conference | Watch online | Live Stats and Audio

STARTING LINEUP

104th season – Georgia Tech is playing its 104th season of basketball and has an all-time record of 1,363-1,227.
Showcasing – Georgia Tech and its first four home opponents are part of an NCAA-exempt multi-team event known as the Deep South Showcase, in which each team plays the other four. The Yellow Jackets finish out the event next week against UT Rio Grande Valley on Wednesday and Prairie View A&M on Friday.
On the road – Tech plays away from home just three times before the January. Aside from Tuesday night’s game at Tennessee, the Yellow Jackets visit Northwestern for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Nov. 28, followed by a trip to Miami to play St. John’s in the Hoophall Miami Invitational.
Tough slate – Eight opponents on Georgia Tech’s schedule were ranked in the top 25 of the preseason AP and coaches polls, including No. 5 Tennessee and ACC foes Duke (4/3), Virginia (5/5), North Carolina (8/7), Virginia Tech (15/17), Syracuse (16/14), Florida State (17/15) and Clemson (22/23).
Bank on it – James Banks, a 6-9 forward/center from Decatur, Ga., transferred to Tech in the summer following two seasons at Texas, was granted immediate eligiblity by the NCAA on Tuesday and made his Tech debut in the game at Tennessee (five points, seven rebounds and a blocked shot in 16 minutes).
Long bench – Tech has deployed 10 players for significant minutes (10 or more per game) in each of its two games so far. All 12 scholarship players saw action at Tennessee.
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.
569 – Career points for Brandon Alston, the most of any current Tech player. Shembari Phillips is next with 381, followed by Jose Alvarado with 325 and Abdoulaye Gueye with 221. 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. EAST CAROLINA

Georgia Tech has won three of four games in the series with East Carolina, which dates back to the 1978-79 season.
The teams actually played twice in 1978-79, when the Yellow Jackets were independent for one season in between their membership in the Metro Conference and the transition to the Atlantic Coast Conference. Tech lost at home and won in Greenville.
Most recently, Tech defeated the Pirates at Alexander Memorial Coliseum in 1989 and 1994.
Tech head coach Josh Pastner’s Memphis teams went 9-3 against East Carolina when the Tigers were member of the American Athletic Conference.
Tech is 63-56 against current membership of the American Athletic Conference. The Yellow Jackets most recently faced Houston in the first round of the 2017 post-season NIT and Tulane earlier that season, winning both games.

TEAM NOTES

Despite scoring just 53 points against Tennessee, eight different Georgia Tech players scored the Jackets’ 16 field goals, and nine players made the scoring column.
With James Banks’ Georgia Tech debut after being granted immediate eligibility earlier in the day, all 12 Yellow Jacket scholarship players saw action against Tennessee. None played more than 30 minutes (Jose Alvarado).
Tech struggled to make shots from the floor (27.6 percent overall, 3-of-19 on threes), but went 18-for-21 from the free throw line. The Jackets’ 27.6-percent rate from the floor was its lowest under Josh Pastner (33.3 percent vs. Ohio on Nov. 18, 2016.
Tech held Tennessee to 39.6 percent from the floor in the game, the second straight game the Jackets have limited their opponent to less than 40 percent. Tech is 25-8 when doing so under Josh Pastner. The last time the Yellow Jackets were held under 30 percent was Jan. 22, 215 (24.5 percent vs. Virginia).
After hitting 12 of 30 three-point field goal attempts against Lamar, the Yellow Jackets hit just 3-for-19 against Tennessee.
Tech has yielded nine three-point field goals in its first two games (32.1 percent). The Jackets allowed an average of 7.1 per game and a success rate of 37.9 percent last season.
Conversely, Tech has attempted 49 threes (24.5 per game) and made 15 (7.5 per game), compared to averages of 15.3 attempts and 4.9 made per game in 2018-19.
Defensively, Tech has forced 32 turnovers (16.0 per game) and taken 16 steals (8.0 per game). The Jackets forced an average of 12.6 turnovers per game last season and took 6.9 steals per game.
Tech’s bench outscored that of Tennessee (whose reserves played a total of 30 minutes), 34-4. Yellow Jacket reserves have scored 75 points in two games.
Tech was whistled for 30 fouls in the Tennessee game, the most for a Yellow Jacket team under Josh Pastner.
Tech is 2-6 vs. top-10 opponents under Josh Pastner, 5-11 vs. top-25 teams.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

Brandon Alston led Tech in scoring for the second straight game, getting 16 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the floor and 8-for-8 from the foul line. He has reached double figures eight times in a Georgia Tech uniform, 18 times in his career.
Alston did not make a three-point field goal in the game, and attempted only one, one game after hitting a career-high four three-point field goals (in five attempts).
Alston is 10-for-18 from the floor and 9-of-12 from the free throw line in two games this season.
James Banks, who transferred from Texas after last season, traveled to Knoxville in the afternoon after learning he had been granted immediate eligibility by the NCAA. He scored five points with seven rebounds and a blocked shot in 16 minutes before fouling out in his Tech debut.

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.

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 continues 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 is available to fans who fail to comply with the clear bag policy. The bag valet location is 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 have been 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.