#10 seed Georgia Tech (14-17, 6-12 ACC) faces #15 seed Notre Dame (13-18, 3-15 ACC) in the first round of the 2019 ACC Tournament on Tuesday.
The teams split in the regular season, each winning on their home courts: Tech by a 63-61 score on Jan. 22, Notre Dame winning the rematch 69-59 on Feb. 10.
That was Notre Dame’s last win to this point. The Fighting Irish has lost seven straight since.
Georgia Tech is as hot as it’s been this year, winning its last two and three of its last five, including an upset win over #8 seed NC State last week.
Players to watch: Georgia Tech
Jose Alvarado, a 6’ sophomore guard, averages 12.8 points a game, shooting 39.8 percent from the floor, and 29.1 percent from three-point range.
James Banks, a 6’9” junior power forward, averages 10.5 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, shooting 56 percent from the field. Banks also blocks 2.5 shots a game, tops in the ACC.
Players to watch: Notre Dame
- John Mooney, a 6’9” junior power forward, leads Notre Dame in scoring and rebounding: averaging 14.1 points and 11.2 rebounds per game, shooting 46.6 percent from the floor and 37.3 percent from three-point range.
- 6’3’ guard TJ Gibbs averages 13.4 points per game, but is shooting just 34.9 percent from the floor and 31.8 percent from three. He does have a nice assist-to-turnover ratio (3.4 assists per game, 1.2 turnovers per game).
- DJ Harvey, a 6’6” three, is the other guy in double figures in scoring, at 10.7 points per game. He also doesn’t shoot it well: 39.0 percent from the floor and 29.9 percent from three.
KenPom.com says: Notre Dame 64, Georgia Tech 63 (54 percent chance of Notre Dame winning).
Preview by Chris Graham
Augusta Free Press coverage of the 2019 ACC Tournament is presented by Bear Creek. Serving Waynesboro, Charlottesville, Harrisonburg and surrounding communities, Bear Creek provides a hassle-free process to help homeowners create outdoor living spaces that bring people together. Schedule a consultation at BearCreek.co.
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