Georgia Tech Basketball has dug itself an 0-3 hole to start ACC play and it finds itself having to face the top team in the ACC at home on Wednesday night.
To avoid dropping to 0-4 in conference play, the Yellow Jackets are going to have to beat No. 12 Miami, who is off to a 13-1 start and 4-0 in the ACC. After losing by 18 to Virginia, Georgia Tech will have another tough matchup on its hands.
This is going to be the fourth and final game in the Yellow Jackets' homestand. Georgia Tech started it with a win over Alabama State but has lost by double digits to Clemson and Virginia in the last two games. Before the losses to Clemson and Virginia, Georgia Tech held an undefeated record at home and they are hoping to have homecourt advantage against the Hurricanes.
They are going to need to have some sort of homecourt advantage to try and keep it close with Miami. Miami has dominated its ACC competition so far this season and has won its four conference games by an average of nearly 16 points, the closest being a 66-64 triumph at Virginia on Dec. 20. The Hurricanes closed December by defeating Notre Dame 76-65 on Friday, and also have defeated Louisville and NC State in conference play.
Miami is ranked No. 12 in the latest AP Poll. Georgia Tech has not defeated a ranked opponent since beating Florida State in the 2021 ACC Tournament. The last time Tech faced a Miami team ranked among the nation’s top 25 teams, the Yellow Jackets defeated the Hurricanes, 64-54, on Jan. 23, 2018, at McCamish Pavilion.
One of the keys to pulling an upset tomorrow night is going to be limiting Miami's offense, particularly Isaiah Wong. Wong is one of the best players in the ACC and is a gifted scorer and playmaker and should be in the discussion for the ACC player of the year. Miami owns the second-highest offensive efficiency rating (114.5), according to KenPom.com, of any Tech opponent to date (No. 11 nationally) behind Marquette. The Hurricanes have averaged nearly 79 points per game overall, 77.5 in their four conference games.
One of the things to watch on Wednesday night will be if Tech uses a different starting lineup. The Yellow Jackets have been mixing it up with their lineups and have used five different lineups this season.
The Yellow Jackets' offense has struggled this season, but Miles Kelly has been consistent as a scorer. Kelly has reached double figures in points in eight straight games, leading the Yellow Jackets in the scoring column in six of those. Kelly has averaged 16.0 points and 3.9 rebounds over that stretch. He has connected on 44-of-90 shots from the floor (48.8 pct.), 24-of-52 from three-point range (46.1 pct.), and 16-of-17 from the foul line across those eight games.
Georgia Tech is also going to have to see a massive cut down on turnovers. The Yellow Jackets committed 23 in the loss to Virginia and that is quite the departure from how they have taken care of the ball this season. Virginia turned those 23 turnovers into 30 points, also a season-high for an opponent against the Yellow Jackets (Marquette had 24).
Who: Georgia Tech vs Miami
When: 7:00 p.m., Wednesday
Where: McCamish Pavillion, Atlanta (GA)
TV: ACC Regional Sports Network
Live Stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)
Radio: Georgia Tech Sports Network by Legends Sports (In Atlanta: 680 AM/93.7 FM | SiriusXM ch. 386, SXM app 976 | Listen Online | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets App | TuneIn
Play-by-Play: Andy Demetra | Analyst: Randy Waters
Georgia Tech is going to be facing its second straight ranked opponent on Wednesday and will be trying to avoid an 0-4 start in the ACC. Head coach Josh Pastner's seat will continue to get warmer if the losing continues.
Some are still doubting Miami's legitimacy as a top team in the ACC. They might be undefeated in ACC play so far and 13-1 this season, but they are ranked only 38th in KenPom. Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Duke, and Virginia are all ranked above the Hurricanes in KenPom, so they still have plenty to prove.
I think Georgia Tech will come out and play well early, but I think Miami's offense is very good and the Hurricanes will find a way to pull away after a closer-than-expected first half.
Final Score: Georgia Tech 62, Miami 70
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