Opponent Preview: Everything to know about 8-10 Georgia Tech
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The second-half runs which Syracuse launched against Louisville and Notre Dame re-emerged during its most recent matchup versus Miami. The Orange still lost to the Hurricanes, but they built an 11-point lead with crucial minutes from the bench and a career-high night from Jesse Edwards.
Now, SU faces Georgia Tech, who defeated Miami on Jan. 4. But the win over the Hurricanes has been one of the only highlights for a Yellow Jacket team that has lost seven of its last nine contests.
Here’s what else to know about Georgia Tech (8-10, 1-7 Atlantic Coast) before the matchup on Saturday:
All-time series
6-6.
Last time they played
Syracuse’s 74-73 win over Georgia Tech was its third game to go past regulation last season. The Orange held a one-point lead over the Yellow Jackets with 22 seconds left in overtime when Joe Girard III was double-teamed and forced to pass to Buddy Boeheim.
Georgia Tech’s Khalid Moore met Buddy and tried to secure the possession, and a review deemed that the ball touched Buddy last. Still, the Orange came out on top after Michael Devoe missed twice before attempting a final desperation heave from deep which clanked off the rim.
“You’re trying to do everything you can to get that final stop,” Jimmy Boeheim said. “It felt like it lasted for like an hour, but we got it.”
Jimmy scored 15 points in the first half while Cole Swider finished with 18 points on the night. The win was the Orange’s final of the regular season as they went on to lose four straight games, including an overtime loss to North Carolina.
KenPom Odds
Syracuse has a 54% chance of winning, with a projected score of 71-70.
The Yellow Jackets report
Georgia Tech withstood a test against Miami a few weeks ago, building a 12-point lead in the first half after holding the Hurricanes to shoot just 27% from 3-point range. The Yellow Jackets fended off any comeback attempts, defeating Miami 76-70.
Aside from the victory over Miami though, Georgia Tech has only won one other matchup since Dec. 10, when it defeated Alabama State by 36 points. GT has lost four straight games, most recently dropping a home matchup against North Carolina State.
The Yellow Jackets have been strong in some aspects, specifically with 3-point defense. They allow 29.4% of their opponent’s shots from beyond the arc, a mark that’s 25th-best in the country. But on the other end, Georgia Tech has the second-worst field goal percentage in the ACC. Miles Kelly leads the Yellow Jackets with 13.6 points per game.
Arlo Stone | Digital Editor
How Syracuse beats Georgia Tech
SU found out against Miami that its depth could be a major factor in its success for the rest of the season. Mounir Hima and Symir Torrence made an immediate impact after checking in during the first half while Justin Taylor and Maliq Brown added to Girard and Edwards’ offensive production.
The Orange’s bench will be crucial against the Yellow Jackets, who also have a deep set of options with nine players averaging more than 10 minutes per game this year.
The Orange don’t shoot that many 3-pointers, but Girard, Taylor and Chris Bell will need to be careful around the arc due to Georgia Tech’s success at guarding the deep shot. Still, Girard should have enough room to create on his own per usual, and the pick-and-roll game with Edwards is something that took Miami most of the game to finally stop.
Stat to know: 11.7
Miami came back late against Syracuse because of its ability to get second-chance opportunities. The Yellow Jackets average 11.6 offensive rebounds per game, which is ranked third in the ACC. They could find the same success as the Hurricanes if Syracuse keeps relying on Edwards for rebounds.
Edwards is forced to come up at times in the 2-3 zone, meaning he has to fall back as quickly as possible whenever a shot’s attempted. To have an edge over Georgia Tech, the wings will need to help Edwards on the defensive glass. And whenever Edwards is guarding the shot-taker, Benny Williams or Bell need to replace Edwards’ spot under the basket.
Player to watch: Jalon Moore, forward, No. 14
Moore was Georgia Tech’s only sense of hope against NC State, finishing with a career-high 17 points and eight rebounds. He’s averaging 9.4 points per game this season, shooting 48.4% from the field. Edwards should do well against Moore with a four-inch advantage, but Moore should nevertheless prove to be an inside threat.
