Georgia Tech 2010 NCAA Tournament Preview

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Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets - Atlantic Coast Conference (22-12, 7-9)

Seed: #10 - Midwest Region

Big Wins: 12/2 Siena (74-61), 1/9 Duke (71-67), 3/12 vs Maryland (69-64)

Bad Losses: 1/5 at Georgia (66-73), 1/13 at Virginia (75-82), 2/10 at Miami (62-64)

Last NCAA Appearance: 2007, First Round loss to UNLV

Coach: Paul Hewitt (6-5 in 5 NCAA appearances)

Probable Georgia Tech Starters:

• Iman Shumpert, Sophomore, Guard, 10.1 ppg, 4.0 apg, 1.9 spg

• Glen Rice Jr., Freshman, Guard, 5.2 ppg, 1.8 apg

• D’Andre Bell, Senior, Guard, 6.2 ppg, 1.4 apg

• Derrick Favors, Freshman, Forward, 12.5 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 2.2 bpg

• Gani Lawal, Junior, Forward, 13.1 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.5 bpg

Key Georgia Tech Roleplayers:

• Maurice Miller, Junior, Guard, 3.9 ppg, 2.3 apg

• Brian Oliver, Freshman, Forward, 7.0 ppg, 1.9 rpg

• Zachery Peacock, Senior, Forward, 8.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg

• Mfon Udofia, Freshman, Guard, 6.0 ppg, 1.9 apg

Why The Yellow Jackets Can Surprise:
Georgia Tech has been successful this season on the shoulders of a very talented frontcourt. Gani Lawal is arguably the best big man in the Atlantic Coast Conference after averaging 13.1 points and 8.6 rebounds during his junior campaign. Lawal is also an intimidating force under the basket on the defensive end and usually does a good job of staying out of foul trouble.

What makes Lawal so productive is the other big guy who starts next to him. Freshman Derrick Favors is second on the team in scoring and is just as impressive as Lawal on the glass. Those two are what makes the Yellow Jackets such a great rebounding and shot blocking team. Zachery Peacock has to come in off the bench, but he plays nearly as many minutes as Lawal and Favors. Like Lawal and Favors, Peacock can run the floor very well for a player of his size. What makes Peacock different is his outside shooting. Peacock can step outside and hit the three-pointer relatively consistently and his presence off the bench has turned the Georgia Tech frontcourt into something really special.

Why The Yellow Jackets Can Disappoint:
However, the rest of the team is not as consistent from long range as Peacock. Fellow forward Brian Oliver shoots over 38 percent from beyond the arc, but the guards are far, far less consistent. Iman Shumpert is a superb scorer who averages 10.1 points and 4.0 assists per game and fellow starter Mfon Udofia has had some good games, but those two get a ton of open looks from long range while the opposition focuses on the big guys, but they do not hit as many as they should. The other problem is turnovers. It is not fair to blame Shumpert for all of the turnover problems, although his numbers are a little high. The bigger problem is that Favors and Udofia are both freshmen who are very susceptible to making mistakes.

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Who To Watch for Georgia Tech:
D’Andre Bell is not the best scorer around, nor will he grab too many boards or dish out too many assists. However, Bell is the only senior in the starting lineup and it is his job to keep things under control. The 6-6 wing is a smart player who will do whatever it is his team needs him to do. His solid defensive ability and his leadership skills make him a lot more valuable to Georgia Tech than his numbers would indicate.

Georgia Tech By the Numbers:

Scoring Offense: 74.7 (58th in nation, 4th in conference)

Scoring Defense: 66.3 (126, 9)

Field-Goal Percentage: 46.1 (53, 3)

Field-Goal Defense: 38.4 (11, 3)

Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 6.2 (165, 4)

Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 37.2 (54, 3)

Free-Throw Percentage: 65.4 (273, 11)

Rebound Margin: 4.8 (38, 5)

Assists Per Game: 14.5 (68, 4)

Turnovers Per Game: 16.2 (313, 11)

Joel’s Bracket Says: First Round loss to Oklahoma State