The Miami Hurricanes will look to continue their hot stretch tomorrow afternoon when they host 10-6 Georgia Tech. UM is coming off an emotional 81-77 road victory over Wake Forest on Wednesday. In the game, Jai Lucas once again shifted his defense to play in a 2-3 zone set in the first half and had success. Tre Donaldson led all scorers with 21 points, and Ernest Udeh ate on the glass by collecting 13 rebounds.
The Canes have won eight consecutive games and are now 13-2 overall. More importantly,
they have opened up an early multi-game lead in the ACC standings. They are currently one of just three teams in the ACC with unblemished league records. The other two are No. 6 Duke and Clemson. Now, a 3-0 start to ACC play is up for grabs, and more Top 25 consideration could be gained with another win.
Game Info:
Date: Saturday, January 10
Time: 12:00 PM ET
TV: ESPN2
Venue: Watsco Center (Coral Gables, Florida)
FanDuel Odds: Miami -12.5; O/U 153.5
ESPN Analytics Matchup Predictor: Miami wins (89.9% chance)
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Overview:
Georgia Tech is currently 10-6 and 1-2 in ACC play. The team is coached by former NBA point guard Damon Stoudamire. The man once known as ‘Mighty Mouse’ is in his third year at the helm in Atlanta. Stoudamire also coached Pacific for five seasons from 2016 to 2021.
In that time, he slowly rebuilt the Tigers into a solid team in the West Coast Conference. He won the league’s award for Coach of the Year after UOP posted a 23-win season in 2019-20. He returned to the college ranks with Georgia Tech after spending some time as an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics.
He is tasked with getting the Yellow Jackets back to national prominence, as they haven’t won an NCAA Tournament game since 2010. 16 games into this season, it feels as if Ramblin’ Wreck is a long way from getting back to postseason play. They have had winning streaks of three and four games, but haven’t logged that one impressive victory yet.
They lost to all three of their power non-conference opponents, which included Georgia, DePaul, and Mississippi State. They also needed overtime to beat Maryland Eastern Shore and had unexpected fights with Southeast Louisiana and Georgia Southern. Lastly, they suffered an upset loss to Drake in the Emerald Coast Classic. Needless to say, their road has been a rocky one.
Now, despite the team’s struggles, Stoudamire has a roster with a good amount of talent that can pose a threat on any given game day. His top player is senior wing Kowacie Reeves Jr. The native of Macon, Georgia, has bounced back from a season that was cut short due to injury.
Reeves has been the main focal point of the Jackets’ attack, as he is leading Georgia Tech in scoring (15.7 PPG). He is effective at putting the ball in the hoop in almost every area of the court. He’s also an excellent shooter from long range (39.5%) and has shot 44% from the field.
Three other players are averaging double figures in scoring. That includes Senegal natives Bayn Ndongo (11.9 PPG) and Mouhamed Sylla (10.9 PPG), a formative duo near the paint. Both contribute a large portion of the rebounding as well, as the two bigs are averaging a combined 15.8 boards per game.
Senior transfer Lamar Washington is the team’s floor general and is another classic point guard that Miami will face. The former Pacific Tiger star is averaging 11.1 points and 6.1 assists per game on effective shooting splits of .408/.353/.778.
Aside from the players mentioned, the Yellow Jackets have a few more notable players who have big roles in the rotation. Jaeden Mustaf, from Bowie, Maryland, is a sophomore guard who acts as the team’s Swiss army knife. He is averaging 8.1 points per game on 38.9% shooting from three and has contributed to rebounding, playmaking, and even defense.
Akai Fleming and Kam Craft have also seen over 20 minutes of action per night as key pieces off the bench. Chas Kelly III can also light it up from the perimeter in limited action, as he has shot a staggering 43.5% from 3-point land.
This is a deep roster that is multi-faceted, has several great shooters, and guys who can steal the ball. Washington, Reeves Jr., and Ndongo average over a swipe per game, with Sylla not too far off from doing the same.
Players to Watch:
Miami: Timotej Malovec
In a game where long-range shooting will play a huge role in the outcome, Miami will need to hit some timely threes of its own. Now, UM isn’t a heavy 3-point shooting team, and they certainly are not great at it either. They rank 16th in the ACC in 3-point attempts (308) and 12th in 3-point percentage (34.4%).
However, the team does have some capable shooters on the team. One of them is Timotej Malovec. The Slovakian native off the bench is one of them, and it’s his main role on the team. Unfortunately, he has struggled at times when letting shots fly this season, despite shooting 37.1% from the perimeter.
He has had his moments, but there have been some rough outings from Malovec this season. In the recent game against Wake Forest, he shot one-for-seven (14.3%) from beyond the arc. It is his worst single-game stat line of the season.
In this game, there will be moments where he will have to provide a big shot or two, especially in the second half. It’ll help match whatever Georgia Tech brings in the category. Not all the pressure is on him, as guys like Tre Donaldson, Tru Washington, and even Malik Reneau can step outside for a splash. However, if Malovec can get into a rhythm, it could push Miami to another much-needed victory.
Georgia Tech: Lamar Washington
Kowacie Reeves Jr. might be the star for the Yellow Jackets. However, Lamar Washington runs the show for Georgia Tech’s offense. He is one of the most balanced players in the country, as he has multiple skills that contribute to winning.
He can score the ball (11.1 PPG), shoot (35.3 3P%), rebound (5.3 RPG), pass (6.1 APG), and create fast break opportunities with timely steals. In fact, Washington is tied for first on the team in steals with Reeves (1.5 SPG). He can do a little bit of everything. His best asset is dishing the rock to his teammates, especially when driving towards the rim.
The Portland, Oregon, native is undoubtedly the glue that keeps everyone together on the court. It will be a challenge to limit the full impact he can have on the game, and Miami will have its hands full. The senior is fun to watch, especially when he’s running in the open floor or in transition.
He can slash and finish through contact. He makes things happen and is a stat sheet stuffer. You can expect Washington to have an impactful showing in this contest, especially when he is coming off an uninspiring nine-point performance against Syracuse.
Miami’s Keys to Victory
Win the Rebounding Battle: Amidst all the playmaking that will be on display, this game will be won in the trenches known as the paint. Both Miami and Georgia Tech are among the best rebounding teams in the ACC. The Yellow Jackets lead the conference in total rebounds (641), while the Canes have compiled 610 boards (6th).
Miami and Georgia Tech are also fifth (40.7) and sixth (40.1) in the ACC in average rebounds per game as well. Both squads have the size necessary to dominate the glass, and it’ll be interesting to see who outduels the other in this aspect of the game.
One advantage that UM has over the Jackets is on the offensive glass. The Hurricanes are third in the league, averaging 13.5 offensive rebounds per game. Georgia Tech is 12th in this regard (11.4). If the home team is going to win this game, Ernest Udeh, Malik Reneau, Shelton Henderson, and Salih Altuntas will need to do their part, especially on the offensive glass, which will create second-chance opportunities for Miami.
Win the Turnover Battle: Another similarity that both teams share is their struggles to take care of the basketball. Both Miami and Georgia Tech are top five in the ACC for giveaways, with the Yellow Jackets topping the entire league.
They have coughed up the ball a total of 217 times, while the Canes have recorded 175. It’s simple. Whoever takes care of the basketball the most will walk away the winner. The Hurricanes do have the upper hand in this category. Georgia Tech has a -1.50 turnover margin, the second-worst in the league.
If UM holds onto the ball and doesn’t commit bad mistakes, they will surely win. The Yellow Jackets have been too reckless with the ball all season. Despite several of their players being great at getting takeaways, it offsets when they can’t hold onto the ball themselves.
Take & Make the Best Shots: You always hear coaches emphasize the importance of smart shot selection. For the most part, Miami has stuck by that, and it’s paid off. There is a reason why this team is tops in the ACC in field goal percentage (51.7%).
Offensively, Jai Lucas’ team doesn’t force anything when in possession of the ball. Their game plan is simple, as they prefer to score inside with their bigs. They always take open looks when given the chance and work the shot clock.
There is no reason to rush or force the offense. They need to let the game flow naturally and let the chips fall where they may. Miami will get its opportunities for some great, grade-A scoring chances. Be patient and methodical in the offensive approach.
