After a 1-4 start in conference play, Florida State will look to even its ACC record on Saturday as Georgia Tech comes to the Donald L. Tucker Center. The Seminoles are coming off back-to-back wins over Clemson and Miami and will look for a third straight win.
Georgia Tech comes in losers in four of its last five games after a 2-1 start to conference play. The Yellow Jackets were defeated by North Carolina last time out, 77-54. After losing 10 straight to FSU, Georgia Tech is 2-1 in its last three games against the Seminoles. Florida State won last season in Tallahassee, 88-77.
The Match-Up
Who: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (11-10, 3-5 ACC) at No. 25 Florida State Seminoles (15-5, 3-4 ACC)
When: Saturday, Feb. 2 at 12 p.m. EST (Raycom Sports Network)
Where: Donald L. Tucker Center in Tallahassee, Florida
Key Players
For Georgia Tech
Jose Alvarado, G (So.): 13.1 PPG, 3.4 APG, 2 SPG
James Banks III, F (Jr.): 10.7 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 57% FG
Brandon Alston, G (Sr.): 9.6 PPG, 48% FG, 41% 3PT
For FSU
Mfiondu Kabengele, F (So.): 13.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 52% FG
Terance Mann, G (Sr.): 11.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 50% FG
Trent Forrest, G (Jr.): 9.8 PPG, 3.6 APG, 1.9 SPG
What to Watch For
Offensive efficiency: Florida State is coming off a solid offensive effort in which it shot 56 percent from the field and 12-for-20 from beyond the 3-point line. If the Seminoles are again crisp on Saturday, they should have no problem, but the Yellow Jackets are one of the better defensive teams in the ACC. Georgia Tech is holding opponents to 39 percent shooting and is yielding the fourth fewest points per game in the ACC. As for the offense of Georgia Tech, it ranks dead last in points per game. The Seminoles shot 59 percent in last season’s 88-77 win.
Terance Mann: After a bit of an offensive slump, Terance Mann was solid last time out against Miami in a 78-66 win. Mann recorded his second double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebound on 4-for-8 shooting. Mann also tied a career-high with two made 3-pointers. In last season’s contest against Georgia Tech, Mann set a career scoring-high with 30 points on 10-for-13 from the field. Mann was also 10 of 12 from the foul line. Although his field goal percentage has dipped slightly this season, Mann is shooting a career-high 77 percent from the free throw line and 42 percent from deep.
Jose Alvarado: Since watching Boston College’s Ky Bowman go off for 37 points last month, Florida State has managed to clamp down on talented point guards in recent games. After holding Clemson’s Marcquise Reed to 13 points on just 4-for-11 shooting, Miami’s Chris Lykes managed just a point on an 0-for-12 shooting night. FSU will face another talented point guard on Saturday in Georgia Tech’s Jose Alvarado. Alvarado averages more than 13 points per game to lead Georgia Tech and led the Yellow Jackets with a season-high tying 23 points in last season’s loss. Alvarado isn’t terribly efficient, shooting 42 percent from the field and less than 30 percent from deep. Since a hot start to ACC play, Alvarado has shot just 30 percent from the field over his last four games while averaging just 9.5 points.
Number to Pay Attention To
.524: That’s the percentage that Florida State has shot from deep in its last two games. This followed a woeful slump to start ACC play. Georgia Tech ranks last in the ACC in 3-point percentage and 3s made. When it comes to defending the trey however, only Virginia has held opponents to a lower percentage than the Yellow Jackets.
Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson
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