Georgia Tech maintains hopes for postseason
ATLANTA -- There remains hope for the Georgia Tech basketball team to reach the postseason.
The Yellow Jackets have five games remaining before the ACC Tournament. If they were to win three of those games, that would give them 17 wins and ensure a winning season. That would increase the odds that they would receive an invitation to play in the NIT.
The pursuit of such a lofty goal starts Saturday when the Yellow Jackets (14-12, 4-9 ACC) host No. 19-ranked Notre Dame at McCamish Pavilion.
It won't be easy to pick up those three wins. Notre Dame is ranked and has won four straight against Georgia Tech. Clemson, which comes to Atlanta on Tuesday, already has handed the Yellow Jackets their worst ACC loss of the season. Pittsburgh, in the final home game March 5, is an NCAA bubble team that will be playing for its postseason life on the final weekend of the regular season. The two road games are against ACC cellar-dweller Boston College and No. 18 Louisville.
But enthusiasm is running high at Georgia Tech after its 86-80 win Wednesday at Florida State. That marked two wins in three games for the Yellow Jackets, something that hasn't happened against ACC competition since the end of the 2013-14 season.
Notre Dame (18-7, 9-4) has been playing well. The Irish have won their past three games, including victories over North Carolina and Louisville, a pair of ranked teams. Head coach Mike Brey's team won the first meeting between the two clubs, 72-64 on Jan. 13. The Irish are ranked No. 1 in offensive efficiency in the ACC and average 78.6 points.
"We have to defend the ball much better," Georgia Tech head coach Brian Gregory said. "You can have a great defensive effort, and they're still going to score."
The last time out it was Notre Dame's Zach Auguste who did the most damage with 24 points and nine rebounds. Demetrius Jackson had 18 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in perhaps his best game at Notre Dame. Jackson was last week's ACC Player of the Week when he averaged 22 points in two wins, matching his career best with 27 against Louisville.
Notre Dame's efficiency on offense puts more pressure on the Georgia Tech defense, which will look great for a stretch and then struggle. Such a slump against Florida State, predicated on poor foul shooting, nearly cost the Yellow Jackets a win.
"We left too many baskets out there (the last time against Notre Dame)," Gregory said. "We had too many empty possessions."
Adam Smith emerged from his mild shooting slump against Florida State. The graduate senior shot 7-for-15 from the floor and scored 25 points. Marcus Georges-Hunt scored 27 and improved his season average to 16.5 points; it was his sixth 20-point game against ACC opposition this season.
Georgia Tech likely will need more production from forward Charles Mitchell. The senior, who is two points shy of 1,000 for his career, was limited to 10 minutes because of foul trouble and scored just four points. Quinton Stephens picked up some of the slack with 11 points and seven timely rebounds.
Gregory also praised the effort from reserve point guard Travis Jorgenson, who played 11 minutes and was helpful breaking Florida State's press. Josh Heath, who had started 21 games, did not play against the Seminoles.
This story was originally published February 19, 2016 at 5:58 PM with the headline "Georgia Tech maintains hopes for postseason ."