New coach Scott Cross takes over a program that has made only one appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2010, hasn't had a 20-win season since 2016-17 and hasn't had a winning record since 2019-20. Georgia Tech returns no starters and only two lettermen from last year's team. Coach Damon Stoudamire was fired after posting a 42-55 record in three seasons, including a 19-39 mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Cross took Troy to the NCAA Tournament as Sun
Belt champions each of the past two seasons.
Guard Nasir Whitlock, a transfer from Lehigh, was a first-team All-Patriot League selection after averaging 13.5 points. ... Forward Jackson Fields played under Cross at Troy before one season at West Virginia. ... Kayden Allen, a 6-foot-6 freshman guard, scored 15 points in an exhibition loss to Maryland. ... Kam Craft, a swing player, averaged 7.3 points last season and is the top leading returning scorer. ... Forward Víctor Valdés played three seasons at Troy and averaged 13.5 points and 5.8 assists last season.
Guard Jaeden Mustaf transferred to Indiana after averaging 10.4 points. ... Forward Baye Ndongo averaged 11.8 points and a team-leading 8.1 rebounds and led the team in blocked shots before transferring to Pittsburgh. ... Forward Kowacie Reeves Jr. led Georgia Tech with 15.1 points per game in his final year of eligibility. ... Guard Akai Fleming transferred to Cincinnati after also averaging 10.4 points. ... Tylis Jordan, a 6-foot-10 sophomore who transferred from Mississippi, scored 13 points in the exhibition against Maryland.
The Yellow Jackets open the season at home Tuesday against Hampton. The highlight of the nonconference schedule will be a visit from in-state rival Georgia on Nov. 20. The Yellow Jackets will play at Mississippi State on Dec. 2 in the SEC/ACC Challenge and also will play Florida, No. 1 in The Associated Press preseason Top 25 poll, in Orlando on Dec. 12. Georgia Tech opens its ACC schedule on Dec. 30 at home against No. 2 Duke before playing at Syracuse on Jan. 2.
The Yellow Jackets lost in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament under coach Josh Pastner and have not had a win in the tournament since advancing to the second round in 2010 under coach Paul Hewitt. ... Georgia Tech advanced to nine consecutive NCAA tournaments under Bobby Cremins from 1985-93 and reached the NCAA championship game under Hewitt in 2004. ... The Georgia Tech roster includes seven transfers and six freshmen. ... Other than Craft, the only other returning player is 7-foot sophomore center Cole Kirouac. ... Craft led Georgia Tech with 17 points in a 101-73 exhibition loss at Providence on Saturday. ... The opener against Hampton is the first of eight consecutive home games to launch the season.
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