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A month after the Tar Heels defeated the Orange by 36 points, Syracuse did the unthinkable on Tuesday to upset No. 7 North Carolina. Syracuse led for much of the game and made big plays late to earn its first AP Top 10 win since 2019.
“The last time we played, they embarrassed us. We wanted to come out and make a statement and at least show that we're here and competing,” Judah Mintz said. .
Page now moves on to Georgia Tech, with Syracuse traveling on Saturday. The Yellow Jackets and Orange split the season series last year, winning on each other's home floors.
Here's what you need to know about Georgia Tech (10-15, 3-11 Atlantic Coast Conference).
all time series
Syracuse leads 8-7.
The last time they played…
To close out February last season, Syracuse hosted Georgia Tech, which they defeated by 17 points more than a month ago. But just as the Orange turned it around in his game against UNC, the Yellow Jackets turned the tide with a 96-76 win in his JMA Wireless Dome.
The Yellow Jackets entered the game as the league's third-worst team in 3-point shooting, but dropped a school-record 18 triples against the Orange, who allowed 13 or more 3-pointers for the fourth straight game. Myles Kelly and Lance Terry both made seven threes.
Syracuse, which allowed 53 points in the first half, trailed by just nine points in the second half. However, he missed all seven of his 3-point shots, and his on-target shooting percentage was just under 40%, leaving him in a hole he couldn't climb out of.
“We were unstoppable for four games in a row,” former head coach Jim Boeheim said. “It's my responsibility, it's my defense, and we can't stop anyone from doing that.”
Kenpom odds
Syracuse has a 56% winning percentage and an expected score of 75-73.
Cole Ross | Digital Design Editor
Yellow Jacket Report
Georgia Tech, which sits in the bottom third of the conference, suffered a 58-55 loss at Notre Dame, its fourth straight loss in the second of two games on the road. Like Syracuse, they lost to Wake Forest by 29 points, but they were also defeated by North Carolina State by one point at home. They defeated UNC on January 30th, ending their losing streak at three.
Kelly, Baye Ndongo and Kowasie Reeves Jr. are averaging double-digit points for the Yellow Jackets, who rank third-worst in the ACC in scoring. Defensively, GT allows 4.4 points per game and ranks 170th in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to Ken Pom.
Georgia Tech tends to turn the ball over when it has the ball, doing so more than 12 times per game, which ranks them in the bottom third of the ACC. However, he is averaging 38 rebounds per game on the glass.
How Syracuse can beat Georgia Tech
While each game is different, there were many aspects of the win against North Carolina State that can be applied afterwards, beyond making over 60% of their shots.
Syracuse has been playing with a very limited lineup lately, using just seven players. Although SU ran into foul trouble early, aggressive defenders like Malik Brown and Quadir Copeland played without picking up a fourth foul. Tight defense in the post forced UNC to kick out 3-pointers, which UNC made, but GT is one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the conference.
Georgia Tech is strong on the glass, averaging 38 offensive rebounds per game, which ranks third in the conference. Limiting the Yellow Jackets' possessions to just one shot will reduce the number of second-chance buckets in the paint that could induce fouls on the Orange's big men.
Statistics you know: 13.3%
Head coach Adrian Autry credited Syracuse's ability to control the basketball as a factor in the win over North Carolina. The Yellow Jackets aren't very aggressive defensively, stealing the ball just under five times per game, second-fewest in the ACC. As a result, Georgia Tech has pushed his 13.3% of his holdings into turnovers, ranking him 354th in Division I, effectively the bottom, according to KenPom. If Syracuse can limit turnovers, they should have no problem against Georgia Tech.
Player to watch: Myles Kelly, guard, No. 13
Kelly scored 30 points for the Orange in their second meeting last year. This year, he leads the Yellow Jackets with just under 15 points per game and is the team's top 3-point option. On February 10, he made six 3-point shots and scored a season-high 36 points. He started all 25 games this season, averaging 14.4 points per game and shooting 41 percent from the field, a performance very similar to last year.
Published February 15, 2024 at 1:59 AM
Please contact call: [email protected] | @ColeBambini