Yellow Jackets aim to snap drought in South Bend.
Georgia Tech heads to South Bend tonight to face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in a critical ACC matchup. Tipoff is set for 9 PM and will be televised on the ACC Network. The Yellow Jackets (9-11, 3-6 ACC) are still searching for their first road win of the season and hope to end a decades-long drought in South Bend, where they are 0-10 since Notre Dame joined the ACC. Tech’s last road victory against Notre Dame dates all the way back to 1990.
This is the second meeting between the two teams this season. In their first matchup, Georgia Tech earned an impressive 86-75 win at home behind 21-point performances from both Javian McCollum and Duncan Powell. However, Notre Dame was without its star guard Markus Burton in that game. Burton’s return tonight adds a new dimension to the Fighting Irish offense, which has found its rhythm recently, winning two of its last three games.
Notre Dame (9-10, 3-5 ACC) also leans heavily on junior forward Tae Davis, who has taken a big leap this season. Davis has emerged as the team’s other go-to player, increasing his scoring average from 9.2 points per game last season to 16.4 this year. His ability to create offense one-on-one has been a key factor for the Irish, who rank surprisingly low in assist rate despite being a top-40 offensive team nationally.
The Yellow Jackets will need to address Notre Dame’s strengths to secure a victory. The Irish are a strong rebounding team, particularly on the defensive end, which could pose problems for Tech. Winning the battle on the boards will be crucial. Notre Dame also thrives beyond the arc, an area where Georgia Tech has struggled defensively this season. The Jackets will need to close out aggressively on shooters and force the Irish off the three-point line.
Interestingly, while Notre Dame is an elite free-throw shooting team, they don’t get to the line often. Tech will aim to keep it that way and limit opportunities at the stripe.
For the Yellow Jackets, the return of Lance Terry is a much-needed boost. Terry’s presence should provide scoring punch and depth for a team that has been stretched thin in recent games. In their last outing against Virginia Tech, Duncan Powell logged all 40 minutes, while Baye Ndongo, Nait George, and Javian McCollum each played 37+ minutes. Terry’s return should help alleviate the workload and provide fresh legs in a road environment.
If Tech hopes to snap its South Bend losing streak, they’ll need to bring defensive intensity, win on the glass, and take advantage of Terry’s return. A win tonight would keep hope for their ACC campaign alive.