Preview and Game Thread for Georgia Tech @ Clemson

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (19-9, 7-7) @ Clemson Tigers (20-8, 8-6)

When: 8pm, Raycom

Top Scorers:  Derrick Favors (11.6 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.9 blks/gm), Gani Lawal (13.6ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.5blks/gm), Iman Shumpert (9.9ppg, 4apg)

RPI: Clemson 27, GT 29

Quick Recap:

Zachery Peacock made two free throws with 3.2 seconds left, lifting 19th-ranked Georgia Tech to a 66-64 victory over No. 17 Clemson at Alexander Memorial Coliseum.

Derrick Favors had 17 points and 14 rebounds for the Yellow Jackets (14-4, 3-2 ACC), who were coming off a two-point win at North Carolina on Saturday. Gani Lawal added 16 points and 10 boards in the victory.

"That was a rough game to watch because both teams really played hard defensively and had a great feel for the game," Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt said. "It was like a late season game where everyone knew each other's sets and tendencies. It just became a game of trading punches, basically."

Trevor Booker had 19 points and nine rebounds to pace Clemson (15-4, 3-2), which had its three-game winning streak broken. Demontez Stitt and Tanner Smith each scored 10 in the Tigers' loss.

 "Our guys don't have anything to hang their heads about," Clemson head coach Oliver Purnell said. "They came on the road in the ACC against a hot team and we put ourselves in a position to win and it just didn't happen."

Tech has gone 5-5 since their win against us earlier this year, and remain just 1-6 in ACC road games, and that win was the one against UNC before they played us.Clemson is 13-2 at home this year. Tech must get another road win to impress the Selection Committee and we are their last shot...or maybe even let Hewitt keep his job.

"This is going to be huge," Tech forward Gani Lawal said. "We're fighting to get into the top four of the ACC, fighting to get into the (NCAA) tournament and so is Clemson."

I think the key of the game will be on the boards and controlling their 3 point shot. If Clemson can outhustle their imposing size to get those putbacks and rebounds, then we should be able to win this game. Then you have Glen Rice and Brian Oliver shooting about 43% on the season from 3. Its a head-scratcher to me as to how this talented a team is still fighting for an NCAA berth.

"You've got to pick your poison," Purnell said. "Do you come out to take away the 3, or do you stay back because if you come out, they're going to throw it to the rim for a dunk, a lob? That's something we have to address as well. But their big guys run as well as any in the country. There's no question about it. So our big guys do have to run with them so we can get our guards out and play the ball on the perimeter." (source)

The crowd will have to be into this game to help keep the energy up with the team, they'll be playing on very short rest so I can see us playing a lot of guys for more minutes than usual. I would hope that on Trevor Booker's last night at Littlejohn that won't be a problem. GT beat us 52-43 overall and pulled down 22 offensive rebounds in the first meeting. They also had an enormous 17 assists, and blocked 8 shots. This has to be turned around to give us a shot at home.