Georgia Tech (11-17, 3-11 ACC) at Wake Forest (8-21, 1-13)
Tipoff: 8 p.m./Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum
TV: ACC Network/MyATL (ch. 36 - in Atlanta)/WMGT (ch. 41 - in Macon)
Series history: Wake leads 36-34
Georgia Tech guard Moe Miller (3) battles for a rebound during the Jackets' last game against Wake Forest at Alexander Memorial Coliseum. Tech won the January game 74-39. (If you look closely, you'll see me in blue just above Miller's head). Photo Credit: Josh D. Weiss/joshdweiss.com/The Telegraph
Key Yellow Jackets: G Iman Shumpert, Jr. (17.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg, leads team in four offensive categories); G Moe Miller, Sr. (5.4 ppg); G Jason Morris, Fr. (5.6 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 4-7 on 3-pointers last two games).
Key Demon Deacons: F Travis McKie, Fr. (12.7 ppg, 7.7 rpg); G J.T. Terrell, Fr. (11.5 ppg, 1.6 assists); G Gary Clark, Sr. (10.5 ppg, 1.7 assists).
Tech's last time out: When Tech last played, the Jackets were silenced on the road by North Carolina State. The Wolfpack generated a lot of early-game momentum by going inside-out offensively, kicking the ball out to a 3-point shooter. Enjoying a halftime lead, the Wolfpack was able to hold the Jackets off just long enough to pick up a 79-74 win. The loss was Tech's third straight and ninth in 11 games. Shumpert had a game-high 21 points, while guards Mfon Udofia and Glen Rice, Jr. added 13 and 12 off the bench, respectively.
Point of emphasis: Play two full halves. The Jackets have struggled all year with consistently putting together solid starts and finishes. It seems when they start strong, they don't finish well. Or, when they start poorly, they frantically get back in the game at the end. Usually, it's too late. In order to begin to build momentum heading into the ACC tournament, they'll have to play a full two halves Thursday, much like they did in January when they drubbed Wake Forest in the teams' previous meeting.
Three Keys:
1. Move the ball efficiently. Motion, motion, motion is the name of the game for the Jackets when they get into offensive sets. Although their offense is mostly based off a fast-paced transition game and aggressive defense, their challenge the next few games will be to maintain offensive integrity in set plays. That means, when a set is called, the ball must be moved with purpose in order to find the open man. Typically, the open man will be Shumpert. And with Morris now playing well and regularly, look for Shumpert's scoring opportunities off the dribble to continue to expand. At times when the Jackets field a four-guard lineup (i.e. Shumpert, Miller, Morris and Glen Rice, Jr. or Lance Storrs), Shumpert should have opportunities to drive as defenses have multiple outlets to key on. Move the ball efficiently and the turnovers decrease and the made baskets increase.
2. Let Miller loose. As the season has gone on, redshirt freshman forward Daniel Miller has appeared to get more comfortable playing in the low post with often bigger-framed players. He still has those spacy freshman moments, but his improvements are vast -- when he shows them. He has to trust his abilities in this game and just let it all go. Play well defensively, block shots the way he's been doing and perhaps Daniel Miller's confidence can soar heading into the regular season finale and the ACC tournament. If his confidence rises, he could be an unexpected force during the tournament.
3. Hit shots, please? The bane of Tech's season has been its misfortune of missing shots. The Jackets have yet to shoot for more than 50 percent in a game this season. Now would be a good time for them to start hitting some baskets with relative ease and consistency as they prepare for the conference tournament, and forthcoming return of guard Brian Oliver back to the rotation. Made baskets obviously equal points and more points obviously equals more wins.
Holsey's nagging knee: Head coach Paul Hewitt said Tuesday that forward Kammeon Holsey took a cortisone shot before the N.C. State game last Saturday to help relieve pain in his knee. The redshirt freshman tore his ACL last season and worked his way into the rotation this season after rehabbing it all of last year. In the most recent games, Hewitt has noticed where Holsey has been a little hampered by the knee and hasn't appeared to play with the overall fluidity that he had earlier in the year. If a hopeful tournament run is Tech's bones, now is not a good time for the starter's knee to be acting up.
Morris returns to starting lineup: Morris will start for the third-straight game in place of Rice. The freshman originally relieved Rice because of "disciplinary reasons" that forced the sophomore to the bench. In his two starts, Morris has made four of his seven 3-point attempts. Tech's most prolific long-range shooter now that Oliver is out of the lineup, Hewitt said he believes his staff has "stumbled upon" something with Morris playing more regularly.
Next: Miami vs. Tech, 2:30 p.m., Sunday. The game will be the last played at Alexander Memorial Coliseum. The next time the Jackets play at the locale, it will be in a renovated, renamed facility. The year also will be 2012.
