Georgia Tech will host Virginia Tech in an Atlantic Coast Conference game on Wednesday in Atlanta, as both teams try to get closer to a .500 record.
Georgia Tech (8-11, 2-6 ACC) is struggling and short-handed, having lost four straight games while missing several key players. In their 91-78 loss at Florida State on Saturday, the Yellow Jackets only had six players available due to injuries.
Kowacie Reeves Jr. (9.3 points per game), Luke O’Brien (6.4 ppg, 4.4 rebounds per game), and Jaeden Mustaf (9.1 ppg) were all unavailable for Georgia Tech on Saturday.
Despite the missing players, Georgia Tech coach Damon Stoudamire refuses to make excuses going into Wednesday’s game.
“The game isn’t all physical. You’ve got to become better mentally,” Stoudamire said. “I think that we make a big deal out of certain things. Here’s the reality. You can play six or seven guys and win. I believe we can win games. The one thing you’ll never hear from me is an excuse about injuries.”
Slow starts have been a problem for Georgia Tech during its four-game losing streak. In their losses to Syracuse, SMU, Clemson, and Florida State, the Yellow Jackets have averaged just 23 points in the first half. Stoudamire knows this is something his team needs to fix.
“I think that our slow starts are a byproduct of not taking the shots that are there at times,” Stoudamire said. “I think that we play well enough on defense to be in games early, but we haven’t scored the ball. We’ve got to take the shots.”
Lance Terry leads the team with 15.8 points per game, while Javian McCollum scores 12.9 points per game. Baye Ndongo contributes 11.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game for Georgia Tech.
Virginia Tech (8-10, 3-4) saw a two-game winning streak come to an end with a 72-63 loss to Wake Forest on Saturday. The Hokies, who are aiming to avoid their first losing season in a decade, struggled with passing and ball protection against the Demon Deacons.
“That’s so disgusting. Nine assists to 14 turnovers. That’s hard to see,” said coach Mike Young. “We’ve never played that way. You can’t play that way and win.”
Tobi Lawal has been a standout for Virginia Tech, recording consecutive double-doubles. He leads the team with 12.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Mylyjael Poteat adds 10.6 points per game for the Hokies.
