Jan. 26, 2016
THE FLATS – Georgia Tech (11-8, 1-5 ACC) attempts to stem a three-game skid Wednesday night, visiting NC State (11-9, 1-6 ACC) in the first of two road games this week, an 8 p.m. regionally-televised contest at PNC Arena.
Complete Game Notes | ACC Network affiliates | Watch live online
Georgia Tech (11-8, 1-5 ACC) attempts to stem a three-game skid Wednesday night, visiting NC State (11-9, 1-6 ACC) in the first of two road games this week, an 8 p.m. regionally-televised contest at PNC Arena.
The Yellow Jackets have lost their last three games, 72-64 at Notre Dame and a pair of home games to Virginia Tech (78-77) and No. 17/16 Louisville (75-71), since upending fourth-ranked Virginia at McCamish Pavilion on Jan. 9. Tech’s five ACC losses have come by a total of 27 points, an average of 5.4 points per game.
The Wolfpack split a pair of games last week, winning their first ACC game of the season at Pittsburgh, 78-61, after an 0-5 start in conference play, then dropped an 88-78 decision to No. 20 Duke at home Saturday. NC State’s six ACC losses have come by an average of 7.0 points, one of those in overtime at Virginia Tech.
Wednesday’s game will be televised regionally on the ACC Network (WATL-TV in Atlanta) and will be streamed live on ESPN3. Radio coverage of the game is provided by the Georgia Tech/IMG Sports Network, and can be heard in Atlanta on 680 the Fan (680 AM and 93.7 FM). The game can also be heard nationally on satellite radio (Sirius ch. 93, XM ch. 204).
TRANSITION POINTS
• Georgia Tech’s first six ACC opponents include the top four teams in the current ACC standings and have a combined regular-season record of 91-25 (.784), the strongest schedule to date of any conference team. Clemson has had the next-toughest row to hoe to date; their ACC foes are 103-32 (.763) combined.
• Tech’s overall strength of schedule ranks the 13th strongest in the CBSSports.com RPI rankings. The Jackets’ non-conference schedule strength is rated No. 81.
• Four of Georgia Tech’s first six ACC foes were ranked in the top five in adjusted offensive efficiency according to KenPom.com – North Carolina (1), Pittsburgh (2), Virginia (6), Notre Dame (3). In Louisville, Tech faced the No. 1 team in defensive efficiency and the national leader in field goal percentage defense, as well as the No. 32 team in offensive efficiency.
• Tech’s two road games this week give the Yellow Jackets five in their first eight ACC games. They follow with three straight home games against No. 20 Duke, No. 15 Miami and Wake Forest.
• Tech is 1-4 on the road this season, winning at Tulane on Dec. 5. The four losses have occurred by an average of 8.8 points.
• Brian Gregory won his first ACC game with Georgia Tech against the Wolfpack at PNC Arena on Jan. 11, 2012 (82-71). It remains one of only two wins in 13 games for the Yellow Jackets in the building.
• Wednesday is the only scheduled meeting between Tech and NC State during the regular season.
• Still relentless on the boards – Tech is out-rebounding its opponents by 8.2 per game, which ranks 22nd in the nation and No. 4 in the ACC. Tech has out-rebounded 15 of 19 opponents this season with two ties. Tech is No. 4 in the ACC and 27th nationally in offensive rebounds per game (13.7).
• Turnovers down – Tech has turned the ball over only 79 times in its last nine games, and the Yellow Jackets are averaging 10.3 this season (4th in the ACC, 12th NCAA), down two-and-a-half per game (12.7) from last season. Tech has averaged 9.3 turnovers in ACC play.
• Scoring up – Tech is averaging 76.4 points per game, 73.7 in ACC games, both figures more than 13 points per game higher than a year ago. The Yellow Jackets have connected on 45.0 percent of their field goal tries, an increase of four percent over last year.
• Outside threat – Tech’s 37.0-percent success rate from three-point range is up more than 10 percent over last year. The Yellow Jackets have hit 39.2 percent against the ACC, which leads the conference.
• Tech ranks 30th in the nation and No. 3 in the ACC in three-point field goal defense (30.8 pct.). The Jackets’ six ACC opponents have converted only 27.3 percent, the second-best figures in the league.
• Tech has been out-scored from the free-throw line 110-33 in the second half of its six ACC games (134-74 in both halves combined). Opponents have attempted 126 free throws to Tech’s 56 in the second half (168-96 in both halves combined).
• Four Georgia Tech players are averaging in double digits – Marcus Georges-Hunt (15.8 ppg), Adam Smith (14.1), Charles Mitchell (11.7) and Nick Jacobs (10.7). Tech has not finished a season with four or more players averaging in double figures since 2008-09.
• Tech started its fourth different lineup of the season against Louisville, inserting Travis Jorgenson for the first time. Only Marcus Georges-Hunt, Charles Mitchell and Adam Smith have started every game for the Yellow Jackets this season.
• Of the eight players to start a game for Georgia Tech this year, only three – Georges-Hunt, Jorgenson and Quinton Stephens – began their careers at Tech.
• Mitchell’s 11 double-doubles this season is tied for the ACC lead and ranks ninth in the nation. Mitchell is bidding to become the first Tech player to average in double digits in points and rebounds since Alvin Jones in 2000-01. Only Jones and Malcolm Mackey (1991-92 and 1992-93) have done so since Tech joined the ACC.
• Mitchell leads the ACC in rebound average (10.9 rpg) and is No. 2 offensive rebounds (4.11 per game). Mitchell ranks 10th and eighth in the nation, respectively, in those categories.
• Georges-Hunt ranks 18th on Tech’s all-time scoring list. He has leaped past 17 players on the list this season and now has 1,428 career points.
• Georges-Hunt has averaged 33.5 minutes in ACC games, two minutes more than his career average, and played a career-high 37 minutes in games at Pittsburgh and Notre Dame. He has averaged 18.7 points and has shot 49.3 percent from the floor in conference games.
• Smith leads the ACC in three-point field goals made (3.26 per game) and third in percentage (43.7). He ranks 18th and 36th, respectively, in the nation in those two categories. He has averaged 4.0 three-pointers in ACC games and has made 43.6 percent of his tries.
• In 19 games, Smith has made more three-pointers (62) than Tech’s leader in each of the past four seasons and the most for any Tech player since 2009-10.
• Josh Heath is No. 3 in the ACC and 24th nationally in assist-turnover ratio (3.36-1). Tech has a 1.40-1 team ratio (5th in the ACC, 38th nationally).
INSIDE THE SERIES WITH NC STATE
NC State has won the last five meetings between the two teams and has a 56-37 lead in the overall series which dates back to 1925.
The Wolfpack won the only regular-season meeting between the two teams each of the past two seasons, both in overtime by a total of four points. In 2013-14, NC State won an 80-78 overtime decision in Raleigh. In 2014-15, the Wolfpack outlasted the Jackets’ 81-80 at McCamish Pavilion on a buzzer-beating three by Trevor Lacey.
• Tech’s last victory in the series and its last win at PNC Arena was an 82-71 win on Jan. 11, 2012, the first meeting between the two teams’ current head coaches, Brian Gregory and Mark Gottfried.
• Sixteen of the last 20 meetings in the series have been decided by 10 points or less, and the Wolfpack victory in the last meeting was the seventh overtime game in the series, all of them since Tech joined the ACC.
• The Jackets are 9-31 against NC State in Raleigh, including a 2-11 mark at PNC Arena.
ABOUT GEORGIA TECH MEN’S BASKETBALL
Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball team is beginning its fifth year under head coach Brian Gregory. The Yellow Jackets have 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).
For more information on Tech basketball, visit Ramblinwreck.com. Tickets for men’s basketball can be purchased here.
