Georgia Tech was hoping to get a waiver from the NCAA to play in the postseason this season, but at 8-11 overall, it probably isn’t as much of a concern.
Georgia Tech has lost four of the las five wins, with ACC wins over NC State in the season opener Nov. 5, plus at North Carolina on Jan. 4 and at Boston College on Jan. 11.
NC State (14-5 overall, 5-3 ACC) travels to Georgia Tech at 4 p.m. today on RSN. Here is a scouting report on the Yellow Jackets.
Season Overview
Georgia Tech has a good quartet, but are thin on the bench and have been searching for a consistent fifth starter. The one change since the season opener is that USC forward transfer Jordan Usher is now eligible.
Post players James Banks and Moses Wright, and the backcourt of Michael Devoe and Jose Alvarado are all productive. Devoe had 22 points and Banks had 20 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks in the 82-81 overtime win over NC State, who didn’t have senior point guard Markell Johnson (injured) and redshirt junior power forward D.J. Funderburk (suspended).
Rankings
In the newly established NET rankings done by the NCAA, Georgia Tech is ranked No. 93 in the country this season.
ESPN’s College Basketball Power Index (BPI) has the Yellow Jackets at No. 97 this year. KenPom.com has GT at No. 87 in the country.
The Yellow Jackets are ranked No. 93 last year in the old RPI formula used by the NCAA — according to RealTimeRPI.com.
Shooting
Georgia Tech is only averaging 67.2 points per game, which ranks 12th in the ACC, and struggle on shooting three-pointers. The Yellow Jackets are fifth in the ACC at 45.0 percent from the field, just behind NC State. However, Georgia Tech is 14th in the league at 29.2 percent on three-pointers, just ahead of woeful Virginia.
Devoe can definitely stroke the deep ball and is 35 of 86 for 40.7 percent. VMI transfer Bubba Parham was supposed to be a boost in that regard, as was USC transfer Usher. Parham is shooting 33.9 percent from beyond the arc and Usher has been a bust at 3 of 22 on three-pointers. He had shot 27 of 66 for 40.9 percent his freshman year at USC.
Rebounding
Georgia Tech ranks ninth in the ACC in rebounding with 35.4 per game. However, the Yellow Jackets are 13th in offensive boards a contest (9.1). GT has Banks and Wright to anchor the boards, but not much depth to help them out.
Wright, who played his senior year at Raleigh Enloe High, leads the way at 7.6 rebounds per game. Banks is right behind him at 7.5 The next closest is guard Devoe at 3.8 rebounds a contest.
Defense
Georgia Tech’s slower tempo has led the Yellow Jackets to be sixth in the ACC in defensive field-goal percentage (40.3), and sixth in three-point percentage (31.0). Georgia Tech is allowing 67.7 points per game, which ranks 10th in the league.
Banks is a terrific shot-blocker with 53 blocks, and Wright has added 23. Four players have at least 20 steals, led by Devoe with 25.
Depth
Georgia Tech only played two players off the bench in the 68-64 loss at Louisville on Wednesday, and neither scored. Junior power forward Evan Cole and junior guard Bubba Parham are the main bench guys. Cole is averaging 4.1 points and 3.0 rebounds in 11.5 minutes per game. Parham, who averaged 21.4 points per game at VMI last year, has fallen to 5.9 points and 1.8 assists in 27.5 minutes per game at Georgia Tech.
Sophomore small forward Khalid Moore and freshman wing Asanti Price had been in the rotation in the past. Moore started the first game against NC State, prior to Usher becoming eligible. He is averaging 3.6 points and 2.9 rebounds in 21.5 minutes per game, and has played in 17 of 19 contests.
Star Watch
Georgia Tech senior center James Banks has been a thorn in the side of NC State the last two years.
Banks hit the game-winning dunk to top NC State last year with one second remaining. He finished with 19 points, nine rebounds and five blocks that game. He followed up with clutch free throws to help GT defeat NC State 82-81 in overtime this season Nov. 5. He finished with 20 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks in the win.
Banks also had 20 points and 14 boards in the 62-61 overtime loss to Arkansas on Nov. 25, and he has four double-doubles on the season.
The Decatur, Ga., was ranked No. 83 overall in the country by Rivals.com in the class of 2016. He made the move to prep powerhouse La Porte (Ind.) La Lumiere and signed with Texas. He backed up Jarrett Allen his freshman year and then Mohamed Bamba his sophomore campaign. Both Allen and Bamba became first-round NBA Draft picks.
The 6-10, 250-pounder transferred back home to Georgia Tech and got a waiver to play immediately last year. Banks averaged 10.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game his first year at Georgia Tech, and has been rock-steady consistent this season. He’s averaging 10.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game this season.
Banks has fouled out of three games, and finished with four fouls in nine contests this season.
Likely Starters
NC State
PG — 11 Markell Johnson (6-1, 175, Sr., 12.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 6.6 apg, 1.8 spg)
SG — 13 C.J. Bryce (6-5, 210, 5th-Sr., 14.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.7 spg)
G — 24 Devon Daniels (6-5, 205, R-Jr., 11.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.6 spg)
F — 4 Jericole Hellems (6-7, 205, Soph., 9.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 0.7 apg)
C — 0 D.J. Funderburk (6-10, 225, R-Jr., 13.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 0.4 apg)
Georgia Tech
PG — 10 Jose Alvarado (6-0, 179, Jr., 11.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 4.8 apg, 1.8 spg)
SG — 0 Michael Devoe (6-5, 193, Soph., 16.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.3 spg)
SF — 4 Jordan Usher (6-7, 225, Jr., 8.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.5 apg)
PF — 5 Moses Wright (6-9, 230, Jr., 13.3 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 0.8 apg, 1.2 bpg)
C — 1 James Banks (6-10, 250, Sr., 10.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.1 apg, 2.8 bpg)
Stats To Watch
4: Georgia Tech players who signed with other colleges before ending up with the Yellow Jackets — James Banks (Texas), Jordan Usher (USC), Bubba Parham (VMI) and Evan Cole (UNC-Wilmington).
7: Games where GT senior center James Banks has blocked at least three shots, including eight against Bethune-Cookman on Dec. 1 and seven against Duke on Jan. 8.
15: Place in the ACC in assist-to-turnover ratio at 0.77. GT averages just 12.9 assists per game and the Yellow Jackets have a minus-2.53 turnover margin, which ranks 14th in the ACC.
Game Within The Game: Georgia Tech’s Michael Devoe vs. NC State’s Devon Daniels
Rivals.com ranked Michael Devoe the No. 45 overall player in the class of 2018, and got that one right.
The 6-5, 193-pounder from Montverde (Fla.) Academy has blossomed his sophomore season at Georgia Tech. He’s averaging 16.2 points and 3.0 assists per game, and shooting 46 percent from the field and 40.7 percent on three-pointers this season. He’s improved in nearly every statistical category, and has done it in a smooth, finesse style.
Devoe had 22 points in the season-opening win over NC State, and got off to a hot start this season. He poured in 34 points in the loss at Georgia and had 26 points, eight boards and seven assists in the win over Nebraska in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
Devoe has reached double figures in points in all but five games. He’s fresh off of scoring 21 points in the loss at Louisville.
NC State redshirt junior Devon Daniels usually zeroes in on the opposing team’s top wing scoring threat. He is averaging 11.0 points per game and shooting 46.8 percent from the field this season. Daniels had 12 points in 34 minutes in the first meeting against Georgia Tech.
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