Is it time for Deebo Coleman to Move Into the Starting Lineup For Georgia Tech?

Georgia Tech is 2-1 this season under Damon Stoudamire

After starting 2-0 with wins over Georgia Southern and Howard, Georgia Tech dropped its first game of the year on Tuesday against UMass Lowell, who is a respectable mid-major team that is far from a terrible loss. That is not an excuse for a loss or how the Yellow Jackets played, but don't be surprised when UMass Lowell is in the NCAA Tournament in March. 

But after three games, what are some adjustments that first-year head coach Damon Stoudamire should consider making?

One common theme for Georgia Tech in the first three games is they have started slow. They scored 32 points in the first half against Georgia Southern, were trailing against Howard at halftime, and only managed 26 points in the first half against UMass Lowell on Tuesday night. With Georgia Tech getting off to such slow starts, is it time to make a change to the starting lineup after three games? 

Now it should be noted that Georgia Tech does not have Lance Terry or Baye Ndongo right now and those are two guys that Stoudamire expected to be starters and contributors. Those guys have not returned from injury yet and should give the Yellow Jackets a boost. 

But what about putting Deebo Coleman into the starting lineup? 

Should Georgia Tech put Deebo Coleman into the starting lineup? / Georgia Tech Athletics

Coleman has arguably been the best player for Georgia Tech this season. He has come off the bench for the Yellow Jackets this season but has played 26 minutes, 28 minutes, and 32 minutes in the most recent game. He is playing the bulk of the games anyway and has been the Yellow Jackets' most efficient scorer. He shot 5-7 from the field and 3-5 from three in the opener against Georgia Southern and on Tuesday, he was 7-12 and 5-9 from three, scoring 24 points. 

Coleman’s 24 points against the River Hawks were a career-high, beating his previous best of 21 vs. Virginia Tech last Feb. 15. Through three games, Coleman has connected on 62.5 percent of his shots from the floor and 56.3 percent from three-point range, both team highs. He has yet to commit a turnover in more than 85 minutes of court time in three games.

Given those numbers, it might be time to give Coleman a shot in the starting lineup to help give this offense a jumpstart in games. I think Stoudamire likes him in a sixth-man type of role and he has done that well this season, but with how well he is playing and given the struggles of the Georgia Tech offense at times, it might be time to consider a starting lineup change that includes Coleman. 

He and Miles Kelly would have a chance to be a strong backcourt when it comes to scoring. Kelly has gotten off to slow starts and did not play well on Tuesday against UMass Lowell, but he is a talented scorer. 

Georgia Tech has a tough four-game stretch on the horizon and we will find out a lot about this team. It starts with a trip to Cincinnati, then home games with Mississippi State and Duke, and then a trip to Athens to play Georgia. Duke is the ACC favorite and Mississippi State is a top 25 in the KenPom Ratings. Georgia and Cincinnati are top 70 level teams. Let's see if any changes are on the horizon for Stoudamire and his team as they try to navigate his first season on The Flats. 

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