Preview: Georgia Tech Basketball vs Duke

Georgia Tech tries to halt six game skid heading into matchup with Duke

Jackson Caudell | Jan 27, 2023

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Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

The final weekend in January is coming and the last game of the month for Georgia Tech is going to be at home against the Duke Blue Devils and the Yellow Jackets are going to be looking to snap their six-game losing streak.

Tuesday night against Clemson was just more of the same for Georgia Tech. Tech shot the ball poorly, turned the ball over, and gave up big runs throughout the game. Duke is one of the most talented teams in the ACC and although they have not played up to their talent level consistently this season, they are going to be a very tough opponent on Saturday.

This is the only regular-season matchup between the two teams this season. If there is one bit of hope for Georgia Tech on Saturday, it is that Duke has not been a very good team on the road. Duke (14-6, 5-4 ACC) is coming off a 78-75 loss to Virginia Tech Monday in Blacksburg and comes to Atlanta with a 1-4 record in road games this season. The Blue Devils have lost at Wake Forest, NC State and Clemson, with their lone ACC road win coming by one point at Boston College, and have a 3-3 record in the month of January (Per Georgia Tech PR).

Georgia Tech head coach Josh Pastner — Can Georgia Tech end its six-game losing streak on Saturday? / Georgia Tech Athletics

After Saturday’s game against Duke, Georgia Tech plays six of its last nine ACC games on the road, including trips to Louisville and NC State next week. Georgia Tech has not had a good history against the Blue Devils. Tech defeated Duke on the Blue Devils’ last visit to McCamish Pavilion during the 2020-21 season. That is the Yellow Jackets’ only win over Duke in the last 16 meetings (Per Georgia Tech PR).

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 (Per Georgia Tech PR).

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) (Per Georgia Tech PR).

One thing that is clear is that Georgia Tech has to shoot the ball better. The Yellow Jackets shoot the ball at a high clip, but they have not been able to put it in the basket. Tech has averaged 24.4 three-point attempts in ACC games, trying at least 20 in every game except Virginia (16). Tech has suffered its two poorest three-point shooting performances in its last three games (2-for-21 vs. NC State, 4-for-23 vs. Clemson). Tech is 1-12 this season when the opponent makes a higher percentage of its field goal attempts, and 7-0 when it has a better percentage (Per Georgia Tech PR).

Deebo Coleman — Georgia Tech has not shot the ball well in two of the last three games / Georgia Tech Athletics

Some more unsettling shooting stats from the Yellow Jackets this season: Tech has connected on less than 40 percent from the floor in three of its last four games (Pitt, NC State, Clemson). Tech is 14-for-32 from the foul line in its last four games after hitting 75.6 percent from the stripe in its first six ACC games (Per Georgia Tech PR).

The offensive struggles could continue against the ACC's second-ranked defense, giving up only 64.3 PPG. They are also fifth in field goal percentage.

The Blue Devils offense is not one of the ACC's best. They are ninth in the ACC in scoring offense, 13th in field goal percentage, and 12th in three-point percentage.

Along with Duke's defense, their strength in rebounding could be a big problem for a Georgia Tech team that is not big and struggles on the boards. Duke is first in the ACC in combined team rebounds and combined opponent rebounds. Duke is the top offensive-rebounding team in the ACC and first in rebounding margin.

Kyle Filipkowski is the top scorer on the Blue Devils and he is averaging 15.6 PPG. He is also the fifth-leading rebounder in the ACC.

For Georgia Tech, they will need another strong effort from Deivon Smith. Smith has three double-doubles in points and rebounds, all in Tech’s last five games (Notre Dame, Pitt, and Clemson). The smallest player on the floor for Tech, he leads the Jackets in rebound average at 5.9 per game.

How To Watch Georgia Tech vs Duke:

Who: Georgia Tech vs Duke

When: 3:00 p.m., Saturday

Where: McCamish Pavillion

TV: ACC 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. 380, SXM app 970 | Listen Online | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets App | TuneIn

Play-by-Play: Andy Demetra | Analyst: Randy Waters

Prediction:

Deivon Smith — Can Georgia Tech upset Duke on Saturday? / Georgia Tech Athletics

Duke is a good defensive and rebounding team. Georgia Tech is a struggling offensive team that struggles with good rebounding teams.

The Blue Devils tend to bounce back from their losses and are going to be looking to do so again. Duke has not played well on the road and are not a great offensive team. This is not the typical Duke that is capable of winning the national title.

However, I think the talent gap between these teams is too big and Georgia Tech has not shown enough in their losses to make me think they can win this game on Saturday. The losing streak may come to an end at some point, but not Saturday.

Final Score: Duke 70, Georgia Tech 56

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