Georgia Tech sees positives from New York trip
ATLANTA -- The Georgia Tech basketball team has made its first road trip and returned with some positive results. Now the Yellow Jackets must continue to generate some positive momentum.
Georgia Tech (4-2) finished second at the NIT Season Tipoff tournament in New York, scoring a nice win over Arkansas and exhibiting some energy in a loss to No. 8 Villanova. The Yellow Jackets return home Tuesday for their final home game before final exams, with Wofford visiting McCamish Pavilion.
"These two games gave us a barometer of where we are as a team," Georgia Tech head coach Brian Gregory said. "I think we're a good team, but we can get a lot better."
The Villanova game helped showcase some of team's shortcomings. The Yellow Jackets were held to their lowest scoring total of the season (52 points) and had season-low totals for field goals made, 3-point field goals made, free throws made and assists.
Georgia Tech was able to outrebound Villanova, but the Wildcats shot better than 50 percent from the floor, the Yellow Jackets' first opponents to accomplish that.
"We're much more improved offensively than we have been in the past," Gregory said. "Our identity and the vision for this team will always be based on our defense and rebounding. We've been sporadic in both of those categories."
One of the season's bright spots has been the play of 6-foot-8 senior Charles Mitchell, who averages 15.3 points and an ACC-best 12.5 rebounds. Mitchell has posted a double-double in each game.
Captain Marcus Georges-Hunt, who will make his 100th career start Tuesday, scored 19 against Arkansas but only six against Villanova, the first time he has failed to reach double digits this season. He averages 15.3 points and 3.5 rebounds.
But the Yellow Jackets need forward Nick Jacobs and guard Adam Smith to rediscover their offense. Jacobs averaged 15 points through the first four games but totaled only nine in the two games in New York. Smith scored just three against Villanova and was 1-for-6 on 3-pointers.
Wofford (2-3) certainly cannot be overlooked. The Terriers went 28-7 and won the Southern Conference a year ago. This season, the Terriers have lost to top-ranked North Carolina and Missouri but are coming off a win against Presbyterian. Wofford is led by Spencer Collins, a 6-foot-4 senior guard who matched his season high with 21 points against Presbyterian. Collins is only five points shy of moving into 20th place on the program's career scoring list. He averages 15.2 points.
The Terriers will benefit from the return of 6-8 sophomore Cameron Jackson, who missed the first four games with a preseason injury. He had seven a career-high seven rebounds against Presbyterian in his first game back. Wofford's other top scorers are Justin Gordon (13.2), reserve Fletcher Magee (11.8) and Eric Garcia (10.2).
Georgia Tech plays again Friday at Tulane. The Yellow Jackets will take a 10-day break before returning home for a game against VCU.
This story was originally published November 30, 2015 at 10:02 PM with the headline "Georgia Tech sees positives from New York trip ."