The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (17-12) will close out the regular season on the road when they face off against the No. 11-ranked Louisville Cardinals (22-7) at KFC Yum! Center. Action begins at 8:00 pm ET on Tuesday, Mar. 1.
The Cardinals are hoping to rebound after their 73-65 loss to Miami (FL) on Saturday. Chinanu Onuaku played well, putting up 10 points, eight rebounds, and six assists for Louisville. The Yellow Jackets, meanwhile, are coming off a 76-71 win over Boston College on Saturday. Marcus Georges-Hunt shot 7 for 7 and led in scoring with 23 points.
Georges-Hunt has been hot over the last five games for the Yellow Jackets, averaging 20.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.2 three-pointers.
Half-court execution will be of utmost importance when two of the nation’s slowest-paced teams square off. Louisville ranks 306th in possessions per game (66.4), while Georgia Tech is 292nd (66.8). Also, the Yellow Jackets commit the 34th-fewest errors in the nation (TO% of 16.1%), while the gambling defense of the Cardinals causes the 25th-most (opponents’ TO% of 21.6%).
This will be the second matchup of the season between these two teams. The Cardinals won the first game 75-71. Despite the loss, Georges-Hunt was the game’s leading scorer with 23 points.
The Cardinals come into this game 22-7 Straight Up (SU) and 12-12-1 Against The Spread (ATS). The Cardinals are one of the best in Division I in terms of field-goal percentage, shooting an impressive .479 from the field. Opposing teams know they’re in for a battle when they play Louisville’s stingy defense. The Cardinals are one of the top teams when it comes to defense, allowing just 61.2 points per game. Opposing offenses have been stifled by the Cardinals, who allow a field goal percentage of only .388.
In the other locker room, the Yellow Jackets have 17-12 SU and 14-12-1 ATS records. Georgia Tech is one of the better offensive rebounding teams in Division I. The Yellow Jackets average 13.1 offensive rebounds per game, making them the 33rd-best team in the country for that category. The Yellow Jackets average 71.5 points allowed per game, but have improved upon those numbers in the past 10 games, allowing 65.6 points per game during that span. The Georgia Tech defense has been a problem for competitors, allowing only 5.0 field goals from three-point range per game.
Louisville beat Georgia Tech in their most recent meeting this season, bumping its SU record to 3-0 over the Yellow Jackets. With a 2-1 record, the Yellow Jackets have the advantage ATS.
Predictions: SU Winner – Lou, ATS Winner – Lou
Notes
Louisville averages 76.6 points per game (ranked 84th). Georgia Tech, on the other hand, allows 71.5 points per game (ranked 145th).
Louisville scores 79.7 points per home game (ranked 82nd). Georgia Tech ranks a poor 141st in points allowed on the road, allowing 74.5 points.
Ranked 20th, the Louisville Cardinals have an offensive rating of 115.5. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets rank 207th with a defensive rating of just 106.2.
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets average 66.8 possessions per game and 1.116 points per possession. The Louisville Cardinals earn fewer possessions with 66.4, but they score more points with 1.155.
Louisville has an average effective field goal percentage of 53.1%. Georgia Tech is an even 4-4 when opponents have a similar or higher effective field goal percentage.
On average, Louisville attempts 17.0 three pointers and Georgia Tech attempts 16.0. Both teams have winning records when they have 20 or more three point attempts. The Louisville Cardinals sit at 5-3 and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets are 5-2.
Louisville ranks 35th in blocks per game with 5.0 and Georgia Tech ranks 73rd with 4.3 blocks per game.
Louisville is one of the best teams in the country when it comes to offensive rebounds, ranking 20th. Georgia Tech ranks just 130th in defensive rebounds.
The Louisville Cardinals make an average of 7.1 steals per game. When the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets allow 7 or more steals, they are a winning 3-1.
