Georgia Tech vs. No. 10/9 USC
Saturday, December 18, 2021 | 4 p.m. ET | Phoenix, Ariz. | Footprint Center
Television: Pac-12 Network | Live Stream
Play-by-Play: JB Long | Analyst: Ernie Kent
Radio: Georgia Tech Sports Network by Legends Sports (In Atlanta: 680 AM/93.7 The Fan | XM 384, SiriusXM app 974 | Listen Online | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets App | TuneIn
Play-by-Play: Andy Demetra | Analyst: Randy Waters
Phoenix, Ariz. – Facing its third Top-25 team in its last four games, Georgia Tech travels out of the state of Georgia for the first time this season to meet No. 10/9 Southern California at 4 p.m. Eastern time Saturday in the Jerry Colangelo Classic.
Looking to snap a three-game losing streak, the defending Atlantic Coast Conference Yellow Jackets (5-4) take on the undefeated Trojans on the heels of losses to No. 23/21 Wisconsin (70-66), North Carolina (79-62) and No. 25/24 LSU (69-53) since the start of December. Tech had won five straight prior to that, including an 88-78 road win at Georgia.
Reigning ACC Tournament MVP Michael Devoe (Orlando, Fla.), the ACC’s leading scorer (22.4 points per game) and three-point shooter (53.2 percent, 3.18 made per game), leads the Jackets along with senior forward Jordan Usher (Canton, Ga.), averaging 13.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.
USC (11-0), who has played five games away from home, enters Saturday’s tilt following a 66-61 win over UC-Irvine Wednesday night. The Trojans won games at Temple (76-71) and Florida Gulf Coast (78-51) in the first week of the season, and captured a pair of victories against St. Joseph’s (70-55) and San Diego State (58-43) in the Wooden Legacy during Thanksgiving week. They have outscored their opponents by 16.4 points per game.
Saturday’s game will be televised live on the Pac-12 Network, which is available in the Atlanta area on the DISH Network, Comcast, Sling, Fubo and Vidgo systems. Live streaming can be accessed on Pac12.com. Radio coverage will be on the Georgia Tech Sports Network by Legends Sports and flagship station WCNN (680/93.7 the Fan), and on satellite radio (XM channel 384, SiriusXM app 974).
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THE OPENING TIP
- Fight the power – Saturday’s game is the last in a stretch of four straight for Georgia Tech against power conference foes. Tech hosted No. 23/21 Wisconsin (70-66 loss) and North Carolina (79-62) the first week of December, and faced No. 25/24 LSU (lost 69-53) last Saturday at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
- Fight the power II – This is the first time Georgia Tech has faced three Top-25 teams (Wisconsin, LSU, USC) in its non-conference schedule since the 1995-96 season. That season, the Yellow Jackets went 2-3 against No. 4 Georgetown, No. 17 Michigan, No. 5 Kentucky, No. 20 Louisville and No. 2 Massachusetts.
- Holiday rush – Saturday’s game begins a stretch of three games in six days for Georgia Tech before breaking for Christmas. The Yellow Jackets squeezed in a pair of home games next Tuesday (Georgia State) and Thursday (Alabama A&M).
- Friendly confines – Saturday is Georgia Tech’s first game outside the state of Georgia this season, and just the second outside the city of Atlanta. Nine of the Yellow Jackets’ 12 games prior to the Christmas break are scheduled at home.
- From downtown – Tech enters Saturday’s game ranked No. 4 in the ACC and No. 31 nationally in three-point field goal percentage (38.3). Tech made just 3-of-15 three-point attempts Saturday against LSU, but had connected on 52-of-122 (42.6 percent) in the previous seven games.
- Gang rebounding – Tech has outrebounded six of its nine opponents this season and has a plus-2.7 rebound margin collectively, the best mark for the Yellow Jackets in five-plus seasons under head coach Josh Pastner. Tech has finished a season on the plus side of rebounding margin only once in that span (+0.1 in 2017-18).
- Mikey likes it – Michael Devoe remains the ACC leader in scoring average (22.4 ppg) and three-point percentage (53.2), and ranks No. 3 and 4, respectively, in the nation on those categories.
- Climbing the ladder – After beginning the season No. 36 in career points at Tech, the 6-5 guard has jumped to 24th on the Tech career points list with 1,326 points, passing such Tech luminaries as Iman Shumpert, Drew Barry, Jarrett Jack, Michael Maddox and Tico Brown.
- Two-point conversion – Splitting the point guard duties nearly evenly so far this season, Kyle Sturdivant and Deivon Smith have combined to average 11.2 points and 4.4 assists over nine games, while compiling a 40:29 assist/turnover ratio. Sturdivant started Tech’s first eight games, while Smith has started two. They both started and played together for much of Tech’s win over Charleston Southern in the absence of Michael Devoe, who had the flu.
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SERIES NOTES VS. USC
- Georgia Tech has won two of the three meetings against Southern California in its program history.
- The teams last met on Dec. 5, 2009 at Alexander Memorial Coliseum, a 79-53 Yellow Jacket victory at Alexander Memorial Coliseum, Tech’s former on-campus arena. The game was a return for Tech’s trip to California the previous season, a game won by the Trojans, 76-57, at the Galen Center in Los Angeles.
- The first meeting between the two teams remains one of the most memorable games in Tech’s program history, known as the “Miracle in Milwaukee.” Tech upset the No. 6-ranked Trojans, 79-78, in the second round of the NCAA MIdwest Regional in Milwaukee, Wis., when James Forrest sank a three-point field goal on an inbounds pass at the final horn.
- Georgia Tech is 8-13 against members of the Pac-12 Conference. USC is Tech’s first Pac-12 opponent since a 63-60 loss to UCLA on Nov. 10, 2017, which took place in Shanghai, China.
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Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
ABOUT GEORGIA TECH MEN’S BASKETBALL
Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball team won the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament championship in 2021 after finishing fourth in the regular season. Tech has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since 1979, winning four ACC Championships (1985, 1990, 1993, 2021), playing in the NCAA Tournament 17 times and playing 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.
