Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Overall record: 21-15, 8-10 in the ACC
Head coach: Josh Pastner
Tenure at Georgia Tech: 1st season
Career coaching record: 167-73
Home court: Hank McCamish Pavilion
Starters: G Justin Moore, F Quenton Stephens, F Christian Matthews, F Kellen McCormick, C Ben Lammers
Bench: G Josh Okogie, G Josh Heath, G Tadric Jackson
Overview: After falling in the quarterfinals of the NIT, Georgia Tech is looking to revamp its program under the leadership of new head coach Josh Pastner. The former Memphis head coach comes to Atlanta with three Conference-USA tournament championships under his belt, but was hired away from the Tigers after failing to make the NCAA tournament in consecutive seasons.
Pastner will have his work cut off for him as he will lead a team that lost six players that averaged at least 10 minutes per game last season. Senior Quinton Stephens is the team's leading returning scorer and will be relied upon for leadership with a slew of newcomers and inexperienced returners around him. The Yellow Jackets also need junior Tadric Jackson to take a major step forward and reach the potential he showed coming out of high school after shooting just 27.7 percent from beyond the arc a season ago.
Georgia Tech will face numerous questions in the post with junior Ben Lammers set to play a bigger role for the Yellow Jackets this season. The center averaged a team-leading 1.3 blocks per game last year and will need to develop into a reliable post player on both sides of the ball by the time conference play rolls around. Of the team's five newcomers, three are freshman and two are graduate transfers that Pastner may turn to for depth and experience.
Although Georgia Tech's recruiting may improve with Pastner at the helm, do not expect the Yellow Jackets' Jan. 4 matchup with the Blue Devils to be a close one.
One thing that needs to go right: Pastner sets a foundation for Georgia Tech's program and the Yellow Jackets spring one or two upsets against some of the teams in the middle of the ACC.
One thing that could go wrong: Georgia Tech's lack of experience and depth at multiple positions leads to a tough season under its first-year head coach in the talented ACC.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.