Facing off for the first time since 2000, Georgia Tech and visiting Stanford will meet in Atlanta on Wednesday night in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
Georgia Tech (11-13, 5-8 ACC) is coming off Saturday’s 75-61 loss at Virginia, a game it trailed for the final 26-plus minutes. The Yellow Jackets entered on the heels of their best week of the season, having taken down then-No. 21 Louisville and Clemson on Feb. 1 and 4, respectively.
In continuation of what’s been an injury-riddled season for Georgia Tech, coach Damon Stoudamire was forced to employ a six-man rotation against the Cavaliers, with Kowacie Reeves Jr., Luke O’Brien and Javian McCollum — the Yellow Jackets’ second leading scorer at 12.2 points per game — all sidelined with injury.
Sophomore guard Naithan George has helped fill the absences on the offensive end, averaging 20.8 points and 6.5 assists over the last four games.
“He’s just been doing a great job,” Stoudamire said of George. “He’s been facilitating the ball at his normal pace, but the way he’s been shooting is great. He has to continue to play that way for us to be successful.”
Georgia Tech’s leading scorer Lance Terry is playing through a wrist injury and is coming off his first scoreless outing of the season at Virginia. Terry’s 14.9 points per game still pace the Yellow Jackets, while George adds 12.1 and Baye Ndongo chips in 12 points and 7.8 rebounds per contest.
Stanford (16-8, 8-5) has fared well in its first season in the ACC and will look to inch closer to the NCAA Tournament bubble. The Cardinal, who travel to No. 3 Duke on Saturday, have won five of their last seven.
On Saturday, Stanford earned a 74-73 home win over NC State despite playing without injured guards Jaylen Blakes and Benny Gealer. Maxime Raynaud carried the load with 25 points and 12 rebounds, increasing his league-leading clips to 20.4 points and 11.7 rebounds per game.
“I thought it was a tremendous program win for us,” Stanford coach Kyle Smith said. “Without Jaylen and Benny, we were really short on ball-handling. NC State understood that and brought pressure, and we weathered it.”
Blakes follows Raynaud with 14.6 points per game, while Gealer scores 7.8. Smith said he expects both players to return to action on Wednesday.
–Field Level Media
