Written by Andy Demetra | Voice of Yellowjacket
“On paper, it doesn't look like we're playing for anything,'' said head coach. Damon Stoudemire said Friday. “But we're playing for everything.”
A sluggish loss at the end of the season can sometimes cause teams to lose battles, weaken their habits, and cause them to lose energy. Stoudamire doesn't want that. I won't allow it. That's why this line wasn't just a run-of-the-mill press conference joke, but perhaps a statement of mission for Georgia Tech (11-16 ACC, 4-12 ACC), who are facing a road showdown in the ACC.
Miami (15-12, 6-10 ACC) also suffered an 84-55 loss at home to Duke on Wednesday. The Hurricanes will want to avoid the same emotional pitfalls as the Yellow Jackets, as they are far away from making the NCAA Tournament.
That shared mindset, and which team can bounce back from a tough loss late in the season and put in the effort, could come down to the wire on Saturday, when Tech and Miami face off at the Watsco Center. The only meeting would be interesting in itself.
Enjoy top notes, quotes and anecdotes from my chart as tech companies prepare for hurricanes in Coral Gables (4 p.m. ET, Georgia Tech Sports Network).
Tafara Ngapare (5) has scored in double figures in Tech's last two games. (Photo courtesy of Danny Karnik)
After a historic run to the Final Four and a subsequent preseason ranking of 13th in the U.S., Miami entered the year in March with hopes of making even more progress.
Instead, the Hurricanes will be limping into Saturday. 5 consecutive losses, injuries all but ended any hopes of an encore.The starting lineup for the Hurricanes is 88% of pointsThat said, injuries can have a huge impact on scoring, and Miami recently dealt with two injuries to forward Matthew Cleveland (14.0 ppg) and guard Nigel Pack (13.7 ppg). Both questions remain regarding Saturday.
Whether they're available or not, Tech will still have to deal with 6-7 Norchad Omie (17.3 ppg, 9.8 rpg). He roams the streets and gives Miami a bouncy, strong presence. After going 3-of-14 shooting against Duke, the preseason All-ACC first-team forward will likely see little game time. On the outside, guards Uga Poplar (13.7 ppg) and Bensley Joseph (8.8 ppg) have deep range and can score from isolation, with Poplar especially talented on pull-ups.Hurricanes alongside the puck hunt three Effective for chasing long offensive rebounds.
Head coach Jim Larrañaga lamented the team's poor position during consecutive losses.Tech will need to defend well against a Miami team. Dribbleweave and DHO, whose purpose is to clear the lane and attack in the pick-and-roll. He'll also look to attack quickly after defensive rebounds and turnovers, even if teams rush back. Can a jacket force a steady diet? Non-rim two Will he limit transitions against a Hurricanes team that still has many talented individual scorers?
*****
Georgia Tech drew attention last year as guard Lance Terry scored a career-high 24 points in a 76-70 win over Miami at McCamish Pavilion.
Unfortunately, Tech will not be available for the rematch. He still accompanies the Yellow Jackets on most of their road trips, but a nagging foot injury forced him to redshirt in December.
However, he has already found a workaround to remain eligible if the situation calls for scoring on Saturday.
“I’ll check in and put on a Marcos jersey,” Terry joked, referring to walk-on Marcos San Miguel.
*****
Damon Stoudemire He said that it was acceptable to make a mistake in Tafala NgapareAs long as it comes from an aggressive place.
The sophomore has fulfilled that obligation lately, using his long strides and Condor-like wingspan to attack the rim more consistently. Therefore, it is not surprising that Gapple scored in double digits in consecutive games, despite having only one such game all season.
The Wellington, New Zealand native also had a crop of free throws late in the season, helping get a much-needed boost from Tech's front line.
So Ngapare and Baye Ndongo are gone. 23 of 29 from the free throw line Performance in the last 5 games (79.3%).
| Ngapare & Ndongo | ||
| FT% | FTA/g | |
| Last 5 games: | 79.30% | 5.8 |
| Last 22 games: | 59.50% | 3.8 |
Free throws may be difficult to make against the Hurricanes: Miami averages 4th lowest number of fouls in the nationand allows the least amount of points from free throws in the ACC.
Although they share the same last name and family ties to Canada, Tech University's Nathan George, 2, and University of Miami's Kayshawn George are not related. (Photo courtesy of Danny Karnik)
They are slender, freshmen guards who are easy to spot with their curly, wavy hair.
I'm tempted to ask, but no, Georgia Tech. nathan george and Miami's Kishawn George are not related. Kaishawn George, 6-8, 205 pounds, came to Coral Gables by way of Montée, Switzerland, and like Nathan, his father also grew up in canada.
Stoudemire admitted George may be over the freshman wall a little bit, but he's still shooting. 41% from 3 in an ACC road game. Why is it worth watching on Saturday? In Miami most three point shots In ACC play, 46% of their opponents' shots came from behind the arc.
*****
Georgia Tech Assistant bonzi wells He recorded 12 assists in a 79-75 overtime win against MAC powerhouse Bowling Green in February 1997, and still holds the single-game assist record at Ball State Arena.
He's not the only one at Watsco Center who remembers that record-setting performance. Bowling Green's head coach at the time was Jim Larrañaga. That year, he led the Falcons to a school-record 22 wins before leaving to take the job with coach George Mason.
It was a co-worker's assistant who heard about it after practice on Friday. persyn williams I couldn't resist.
“How is that possible? You only had 13 assists all year,” Williams quipped to Wells.
*****
The preparation is now complete. I hope you're ready as well. Join us for pregame coverage starting at 3:30 PM ET on Georgia Tech Sports Network. See you in Coral Gables.
-advertisement-
Alexander Tharp Fund
The Alexander Tharp Foundation is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech's athletics department and provides scholarship, administrative and facility support to more than 400 student-athletes at the University of Technology. Join the development of Yellow Jackets as they advance academically and compete for championships at the highest level of collegiate athletics. Annual Sports Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships directly to Georgia Tech student-athletes. For more information about Yellowjacket support, please visit: atfund.org.
About Georgia Tech Men's Basketball
The Georgia Tech men's basketball team is in its first year under head coach Damon Stoudemire. Tech has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since 1979, winning the ACC Championship four times (1985, 1990, 1993, 2021), appearing in the NCAA Tournament 17 times and reaching the Final Four. I participated twice (1990, 2004). Connect with Georgia Tech Men's Basketball on social media by liking his Facebook page or following him below. Twitter (@GTMBB) And Instagram. For more information on Tech basketball, visit Ramblinwreck.com.
