Georgia Tech Basketball vs Virginia Tech: Game Preview and Prediction

Can Georgia Tech upset Virginia on the road?

After losing a tight game at home against Pitt on Tuesday, Georgia Tech is back on the road for a game against Virginia Tech this Saturday. 

The Yellow Jackets' biggest problem on Tuesday was their offense. Although they only played a combined 29 minutes, the Yellow Jackets had two starters (Miles Kelly and Ibrahima Sacko) go scoreless. If Georgia Tech wants to upset the Hokies on the road tomorrow, their offense is going to need to produce more. 

In the KenPom Rankings, Virginia Tech is No. 59 while Georgia Tech is No. 127. 

Virginia Tech (12-7 4-4 ACC) has won two straight games, capturing an 84-78 decision at NC State and a 76-71 win at home over Boston College in the last week. The Hokies are 9-1 at home, having defeated Louisville and Clemson as well as BC in conference play along with a close loss to Miami.

Tech’s ACC losses have been decided by an average of eight points, only one by double digits. In the last five, the Jackets had leads of 16 points against Boston College, seven vs. Notre Dame, 10 at Duke, 11 vs. Virginia, six vs. Pittsburgh. They have been close in pretty much every game they have played, but they have not been able to find a way to finish. 

Georgia Tech guard Miles Kelly vs Virginia / Georgia Tech Athletics

Georgia Tech is 4-5 away from McCamish Pavilion this season, and 2-4 in true road games (at Hawai’i, at Clemson).

Tech has averaged 75 points per game and has connected on 46.5 percent of its field goal tries in ACC play, which ranks No. 7 and No. 2, respectively, in those categories. Tech leads in three-point field goal per game on conference lay (9.75) and is sixth in percentage (.364). Most of the time, their offense is clicking, but that was not the case against the Panthers. 

Four Yellow Jackets are averaging double figures in ACC play - Baye Ndongo (15.5), Miles Kelly (12.9), Kowacie Reeves, Jr. (12.9) and Naithan George (10.5). Those three players have combined to hit 48.6 percent of their shots from the floor (159-327) and 38.4 percent from three-point range (55-of-143).

Tech has started two freshmen -Ndongo and point guard George - in its last 15 games. The Jackets have not had two freshmen in its regular starting lineup since the 2018-19 season (Michael Devoe, Khalid Moore), and have not had a freshman regularly start at point guard since Jose Alvarado in 2017-18.

Virginia Tech has won 22 of 31 all-time meetings with Georgia Tech, including 18 of 26 as a member of the ACC.

The Yellow Jackets have won three of the last five meetings in the series, winning the only scheduled regular-season meetings in 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2022-23. The Hokies swept both meetings in 2021-22.

Only five Tech teams since 1997 have finished a season with a KenPom.com offensive efficiency rating higher than the current Yellow Jackets’ rating of 111.1. The Jackets have exceeded a point per possession in four straight games and in six of eight ACC games.

Prediction

I think that Georgia Tech can hang around in this game because of their offense, but their inability to finish games and ability to get stops on the defensive end of the floor concern me in this matchup. The Hokies have won two straight since losing four of five games and they are not invincible, even at home. With that being said, there is not much reason to pick Georgia Tech to win on the road. 

Final Score: Virginia Tech 74, Georgia Tech 68

Buford TE Hayden Bradley Is A Name To Know For Georgia Tech's 2025 Class

Follow us on social media for the latest news on Georgia Tech Athletics!

Facebook: All Yellow Jacket

Twitter: @AllYellowJacket