Preview: Clemson Looks to Rebound Against Georgia Tech in ACC Clash

ATLANTA (Interstat) — The Clemson Tigers aim to bounce back from a rare stumble when they visit the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in an Atlantic Coast Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Hank McCamish Pavilion.

Clemson (16-4, 6-1 ACC) saw its seven-game winning streak snapped Tuesday in a tough 80-76 overtime home loss to North Carolina State. The Tigers had been one of the conference’s hottest teams, with their last loss prior to that coming on Dec. 9.

Georgia Tech (11-8, 4-4) is coming off one of its best wins of the season, a 78-74 victory at North Carolina State last Saturday. The Yellow Jackets have shown inconsistency in league play, mixing impressive wins with lopsided losses.

A key matchup will feature two of the ACC’s recent standout performers. Clemson forward RJ Godfrey has been on a tear, scoring in double figures in seven consecutive games. He is averaging 15.4 points over that stretch, including a team-high 16 in the loss to NC State.

Georgia Tech guard Kowacie Reeves has provided a similar scoring punch. He has topped 20 points in three of his last five games, including a 21-point, 5-rebound, 3-assist effort in the win over the Wolfpack.

Clemson’s strength has been its balanced attack and defense, which held opponents under 70 points in six straight games before the NC State contest. Guard Ace Buckner and forward Carter Welling, who added 14 points against the Wolfpack, provide complementary scoring.

The Yellow Jackets will rely on Reeves and guard Lamar Washington, who scored 18 points against NC State, to generate offense. Georgia Tech has struggled at times to contain opponents’ scoring, allowing an average of 81.3 points in its four ACC losses.

This is the first of two regular-season meetings between the teams. They are scheduled to meet again at Clemson on March 7.

Saturday’s contest begins a challenging stretch for Georgia Tech, which plays five of its next seven games on the road. Clemson continues a stretch where it plays three of four away from home.

The Tigers hold a significant edge in the overall series, but the Yellow Jackets have won two of the last three meetings in Atlanta. Tipoff is set for Saturday afternoon.