The No.4-seeded Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (19-14) and No.5-seeded Houston Cougars (22-9) square off in the first round of the NIT tournament at McCamish Pavilion. The game begins at 9:00 pm ET on Wednesday, Mar. 16 and can be seen on ES2 and ES3.
The Yellow Jackets lost big to Virginia 72-52 in the 3 of the Atlantic Coast tournament. Adam Smith finished with 16 points to lead the team. The Cougars, meanwhile, are coming off a bitter 72-69 loss at the hands of Tulane in the 2 of the American Athletic Conference tournament. Damyean Dotson posted 16 points, four rebounds, and one block.
Dotson has been on a tear over the last five games for the Cougars, averaging 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.0 assist, and 3.8 three-pointers.
Half-court execution will be of utmost importance when two of the nation’s slowest-paced teams square off. Georgia Tech ranks 302nd in the nation in possessions per game (66.4), while Houston is 279th (67.0). Moreover, the Cougars are among the nation’s elite on the offensive backboards, ranking 10th in OR% at 36.2%. But the Yellow Jackets rank 24th at corralling defensive rebounds with a DR% of 72.5%.
The Yellow Jackets come into this game 19-14 Straight Up (SU) and 17-13-1 Against The Spread (ATS). In their last 10 games, they are 7-3 ATS. The Yellow Jackets prevent teams from making three-pointers, ranking 14th in the nation with 191 total three-pointers allowed (5.0 per game).
In the other locker room, the Cougars have a record of 15-10-1 ATS and 22-9 SU. Houston’s defense is one of the top in the nation, with opponents shooting only .417 from the field.
This game marks the first time Georgia Tech and Houston have played one another in recent seasons.
Predictions: SU Winner – Hou, ATS Winner – Hou
Notes
“Georgia Tech is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home”.
“Georgia Tech is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home”.
“The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Georgia Tech’s last 6 games at home”.
“Georgia Tech is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games “.
“The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Georgia Tech’s last 13 games “.
In its last game, Georgia Tech lost by a margin of 20 points. Houston is 7-0 in games decided by a margin of 18 points or more. Georgia Tech has a 2-1 record in blowouts.
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets rank 80th for their offensive rating of 110.3. The Houston Cougars have a defensive rating of 102.9 (ranked 57th).
Houston beats Georgia Tech in both possessions per game and points per possession. The Cougars average 67.0 possessions and 1.162 points per possession, while the Yellow Jackets average 66.4 possessions with 1.103 points per possession.
Georgia Tech has an average effective field goal percentage of 49.3%. Houston is an even 5-5 when opponents have a similar or higher effective field goal percentage.
Georgia Tech attempts an average of 16.0 three pointers per game and Houston attempts 19.0. In games where they have 20 or more three point attempts, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets have a winning 5-3 record while the Houston Cougars have a 9-7 record.
Georgia Tech, the 82nd-ranked team in blocked shots, records an average of 4.2 per game. Houston does worse, ranked 114th with 3.9.
Georgia Tech is one of the best teams in the country when it comes to offensive rebounds, ranking 25th. Houston ranks just 193rd in defensive rebounds.
On average, Georgia Tech makes 4.5 steals per game. Houston has a solid 17-7 record when it gives up at least 4 steals.
