Georgia Tech Basketball vs Duke: First-Half Thoughts

Duke leads Georgia Tech at halftime in this ACC basketball contest

This game started similarly to Tuesday's loss to Clemson. On Tuesday, the Tigers got off to a 10-0 start and hit their first three three-point shots. In this game, Duke got off to a 16-7  lead and hit four of their first six shots. The three-point defense has been a strength for Tech this season, but they let Duke get out to a hot start, and Georgia Tech was down big. 

The two biggest bright spots for the Georgia Tech team this season have been their three-point defense and the bench scoring. Tech leads the ACC in three-point defense and is 38th nationally, allowing 30 percent from distance. Tech leads the ACC in bench scoring, with its reserves contributing 21.9 points per game this season. The bench has provided 30 or more points six times this season and has outscored its opponents’ reserves in 12 of 19 games.

The Blue Devils won 11 of the last 13 meetings at Alexander Memorial Coliseum and won 21 of 34 games over Tech in games played on the Jackets’ former home court, as well as a 29-16 mark in games played in Atlanta. Duke is 4-1 at McCamish Pavilion. Duke leads the overall series 76-24 and is 64-20 against Tech since the Jackets joined the ACC. Tech’s only four wins over Duke since 2000 were by Yellow Jacket teams that made the NCAA Tournament (2004, 2007, 2010, and 2021).

So what are the first half observations from the first half between Duke and Georgia Tech?

1. Georgia Tech had another terrible start

Georgia Tech struggled on offense in the first half against Duke / Georgia Tech Athletics

Duke came out lighting hot at the start of the game and hit four of their first six three-point shots and led the game 16-7. Georgia Tech did a decent job of not leading the lead to get much bigger than that in the first half, but it is another poor star from the Yellow Jackets. 

Georgia Tech has been giving up big runs throughout the season and this is just the latest example. At the end of the first half, Duke went on a 13-2 run to close things out and went into the half with an 18 point lead. 

2. Duke won the rebounding battle

The Blue Devils are the top rebounding team in the ACC and it showed on the floor today. Duke won the rebounding battle in the first half 20-14 and had more offensive rebounds in the game. 

Georgia Tech's weakness inside has been exploited by a number of teams this season and Duke was another team that got the advantage on the inside. 

3. The three-point defense was not there

Georgia Tech has the top three-point defense in the ACC, but it was non-existent in the first half. 

Duke leaped out and hir four of their first six and finished the first half shooting 6-13 (46%). Jeremy Roach hit two three-point shots in the first half and Duke was a much better shooting team from deep in the first half. Georgia Tech shot only 3-9 from the first half, which has been the usual for this struggling offense. 

Duke leads by 18 at the half and Georgia Tech is going to need their most complete half of the season to try and make this a game in the second half. 

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