Written by Andy Demetra | Voice of Yellowjacket
In 1994, as a senior at Syracuse, Adrian Autry scored 31 points after halftime in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen against Missouri State at Los Angeles Sports Arena. However, his hard work was in vain as the Orange lost in overtime to the top-seeded Tigers, 98-88. This was the last game of Autry's career.
Had the Orange won, Autry would have faced off against another quick-witted, high-scoring point guard in the Elite Eight two days later.
his name: Damon Stoudemire of Arizona.
Thirty years later, they will finally face off, albeit as first-year head coaches in the ACC. Last March, there was a change at the (point) guard in college basketball, with Autry replacing Jim Boeheim, who coached the Orange for 47 years. Autry and Syracuse (16-9, 7-7 ACC) look to continue their late push toward NCAA Tournament consideration with a special win over No. 7 North Carolina. Stoudemire and Georgia Tech (10-15, 3-8) are used to beating the Tar Heels, but they will look to counter that with an exciting new effort at McAmish Pavilion. Dew.
(Yes, Stoudamire remembers Autry's performance in the 1994 Sweet Sixteen well. He said he still remembers Autry making baskets from his knees.)
Enjoy the top notes from my chart as the Yellow Jackets and Orange link up in Atlanta (5:30 p.m. ET, Georgia Tech Sports Network from Legend Sports):
Baye Ndongo, 11, averaged 16.8 points and shot 62 percent in home ACC games. (Photo by Danny Karnik)
Georgia Tech unwittingly offered a glimpse of its future when it defeated Syracuse at the JMA Wireless Dome last February.
As the Yellow Jackets were coming off a school-record 18 3-pointers in a 96-76 victory over the Orange, Tech forced Jim Boeheim to abandon his legendary 2-3 zone and play man-to-man. He did something unimaginable. About the second half. The moment the switch was turned on, a gasp could be heard from the home fans.
According to Synergy, Syracuse played 209 man-to-man possessions during the 2022-23 season. 27 of those came against Georgia Tech.
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Just kidding, the Jackets won't be caught off guard Saturday. The Orange are still scattered in a 2-3 zone – in fact, they played in this zone for the majority of their win against North Carolina – but have changed to primarily a man-to-man team under Autry. .
Syracuse defensive possession percentage (by synergy)
- One-on-one: 81%
- Zone: 19%
This new identity has helped Syracuse jump to 59th nationally in defensive efficiency, up from 185th a year ago. However, Orange has been experiencing leaks recently. 57% field goal percentage, 48.6% 3-point shooting percentage Over the past four games.
| Syracuse – ACC Rank (Conference Only) | ||
| FG defense power% | 48.60% | last |
| Defense power 3pt.% | 39.20% | last |
| steal/game | 9.4 | beginning |
The Orange's frontcourt has been decimated by injuries, but they can still shut down offenses by forcing the most steals in the ACC. Long-armed wings like Quadir Copeland and Malik Brown can create passing lane mirages, and guard Judah Mintz is particularly adept at getting steals high up.
Tech has been at its best this year when moving the ball actively and creating angles from the second side. Hard cuts, quick ball rotation, staying out of traffic and limiting turnovers that lead to runouts will all be key Saturday. It might be too much to expect him to make 18 3-pointers again, but can the Yellow Jackets' 3-pointers be in sync? This year, the Orange are 10-1 when shooting below 35 percent from 3-point range, but 6-8 when shooting above 35 percent.
Georgia Tech shoots 35.4% on 3-point shooting ACC play in progress.
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Who are the breakout candidates on Saturday? He stole the game from UNC, and a head injury ended his night in four minutes. Baye Ndongo is being averaged 16.8 points 62% field goal shooting percentage at Georgia Tech's home ACC game. He will face the 6-8 Brown, who had five blocks and five steals against Louisville on Saturday. Brown is an athletic and versatile defender.
Myles Kelly made seven of Tech's school-record 18 threes last February at the JMA Wireless Dome.
Jim Boeheim may be gone, but Syracuse's offense still prioritizes spacing and guard freedom, and it's gotten the attention of one former guard.
“Their guard tandem is probably the best in the league in terms of scoring,” Stoudemire said Friday.
Between sophomore Judah Mintz (18.4 ppg) and Notre Dame transfer JJ Sterling (13.6 ppg), the Orange have two athletic north-south drivers looking to consistently punish defenders off the dribble. There are people. Mintz in particular could be a threat. In addition to being the ACC's fourth leading scorer, he also leads the ACC in scoring. Fouls per 40 minutes.Small forward Chris Bell was acquired. 15 of 27 threes After the past three games, he's been on standby in case Mintz or Sterling collapse the defense. Given Georgia Tech's foul trouble in the first half, playing disciplined defense will be critical Saturday.
However, despite their high athletic ability, Oranges actually have the following abilities: Lowest offensive rebound rate in ACC play (21.8%). After a frustrating night of not being able to clear the defensive glass against Notre Dame, the Jackets can't afford to take anything for granted.
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Adrian Autry signed with Syracuse in 1990 after a career as a McDonald's All-American in the Bronx, New York.
He can partially credit the Georgia Tech legend for getting him here.
At Autry's introductory press conference, Jim Boeheim said: [future NBA player] Kenny Anderson and I said, “We need to get this player to come to Syracuse.'' ”
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The preparation is now complete. I hope you're ready as well. Join us for Georgia Tech Sports Network pregame coverage on Legends Sports starting at 5pm ET. See you in McCamish.
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About Georgia Tech Men's Basketball
The Georgia Tech men's basketball team is in its first year under head coach Damon Stoudamire. Tech has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since 1979, winning the ACC Championship four times (1985, 1990, 1993, 2021), appearing in the NCAA Tournament 17 times and reaching the Final Four. I participated twice (1990, 2004). Connect with Georgia Tech Men's Basketball on social media by liking his Facebook page or following him below. Twitter (@GTMBB) And Instagram. For more information on Tech basketball, visit Ramblinwreck.com.
