2010-11 Basketball Game Preview: Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech


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(home games)
  • Date: Tuesday, January 25, 2011
  • Time: 9pm
  • TV: RSN (Check your local listings)

Virginia Tech will be back on the road for the second consecutive time in ACC
play tonight, when they take on Georgia Tech in Atlanta. The Hokies picked up a
big road win at Maryland last Thursday, and hope to follow that up with a
victory over the Yellow Jackets.

The Hokies are one of the hottest teams in the ACC, winning nine of their
last 10 games. They have a strong 6-2 record against Georgia Tech since ACC
expansion, including a 6-1 mark in regular season games. VT is 3-1 in that span
in Alexander Memorial Coliseum, which is in its final season as home of the
Yellow Jackets.

Georgia Tech is 9-9, with a 2-3 mark in the ACC. Their ACC victories have
come at home over Wake Forest and North Carolina. The Yellow Jackets are 7-2 at
home, with losses to Georgia and Charlotte. They are a young basketball team
that is very strong in the backcourt and on the wing, but they have limited
experience and depth on the inside.

Georgia
Tech Starting Lineup
Pos. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. PPG RPG
G Iman Shumpert 6-5 212 Jr. 16.5 5.7
G Maurice Miller 6-2 188 Sr. 5.8 2.4
G Glen Rice, Jr. 6-5 206 So. 12.9 5.2
F Brian Oliver 6-6 226 So. 10.6 4.4
C Daniel Miller 6-11 258 r-Fr. 4.7 5.4

Maurice Miller is the veteran of the group, and the only senior on the roster
that sees major minutes. However, point guard Iman Shumpert is the star of the
backcourt, leading the team in scoring at 16.5 points per game, and in assists
with 61.

Shumpert is a lengthy point guard who uses his hands well in the passing
lanes. He has 45 steals on the season, and he knows how to use his superior size
to get good position and score. Shooting is not the strongest part of the game,
as Shumpert is only 40.3% from the field and 27.6% from three-point range.

Shumpert is Georgia Tech’s most talented player, and he could be a future NBA
player. The third guard on the team is the son of a former NBA player. Glen
Rice, Jr. is in his second year at Georgia Tech, and he is the second leading
scorer on the team. Rice is a good jump shooter and a good athlete, and he
combines with Shumpert to form a very good backcourt. Rice can score in bunches,
so the Hokies have to be careful not to let him get hot against their zone
defense.

Georgia Tech lacks depth and experience up front, so Brian Oliver is starting
at the power forward position. Oliver is a natural wing who Virginia Tech
recruited heavily out of Oak Hill Academy. He is an excellent three-point
shooter, though his shot selection could use work at times. His percentage has
suffered as a result, as he’s hitting just 30.5% from the outside this season.
However, he is a major threat from behind the arc.

Other guards and wings who will or could see action for Georgia Tech are Mfon
Udofia (6-2, 193, So.), Jason Morris (6-5, 210, Fr.), Nick Foreman (6-3, 210,
Jr.) and Lance Storrs (6-5, 225, Sr.). Udofia has actually started 11 games this
season after starting as a freshman last season. He averages 7.9 points per
game, but he has really struggled with his turnovers this year. Jason Morris is
a freshman who is very dangerous from behind the three-point line.

Georgia Tech only has two true post players. Daniel Miller gives them great
size in the starting lineup at center, but he is only a r-freshman. He has 35
blocks on the season, and no one else has more than 13. The other post is
Kammeon Hosley (6-8, 226, r-Fr.). He had 18 points against Boston College
earlier in the season, but other than that he hasn’t been a major factor.

From a personnel standpoint, Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech are similar
teams. Both teams only have two true post players, though the Hokies’ Jeff Allen
and Victor Davila are much more experienced and more productive than the Yellow
Jackets’ two r-freshmen. Both teams have good players at guard and on the wings.
However, with three seniors and a junior who play major minutes, Virginia Tech
is the more experienced team.

It will be homecoming for two Virginia Tech players. Terrell Bell and Manny
Atkins will return to their hometown of Atlanta, and both played very well on
the road against the Yellow Jackets last season. Bell had 14 points and 13
rebounds, while Atkins made the first start of his career, scoring five points
and grabbing seven rebounds.


Stats Comparison, ACC Games Only

Georgia Tech

Virginia Tech

Category

Stat

Rank

Stat

Rank
FG% 45.2% 3 47.5% 1
FG% Def. 43.4% 7 39.6% 3
3-Pt.% 36.1% 6 40.3% 4
3-Pt.% Def. 45.3% 12 29.6% 1
FT% 64.4% 11 81.1% 1
Reb. Margin +2 5 -2 9
TO Margin +2.4 2 +2.2 3
Assist-TO 0.9 8 0.9 7
Scoring Off. 70.6 6 70.8 5
Scoring Def. 68.4 6 60.4 1

Average

6.6

3.5

With both teams playing five ACC games, including common opponents North
Carolina, Wake Forest and Virginia, we can get a fairly accurate comparison
using stats from ACC games only. The Hokies rank first in the conference in four
different categories, and are one of the best teams in the conference
statistically speaking.

Georgia Tech appears to be better than their record shows, though their
three-point defense and free throw percentage have left a lot to be desired.

The Yellow Jackets are 2-3 in the ACC, and both of their wins have been
blowouts at home. They beat North Carolina 78-58, and destroyed pitiful Wake
Forest 74-39. They’ll hope for a third straight good home game when the hot
Hokies come to town.