Georgia Tech Basketball: 2017-18 season preview for the Yellow Jackets

Key non-conference games

Nov. 10 – UCLA (China)

Nov. 28 – Northwestern (ACC/Big Ten Challenge)

Dec. 3 – Tennessee

Dec. 19 – at Georgia

Jan. 6 – Yale

The first important game of the 2017-18 season will be played in China against UCLA. This is a matchup of opposites, as one of the better offensive teams in the Bruins plays the defensive-minded Yellow Jackets. UCLA is the more talented team, but their best players are freshmen. Georgia Tech will have the advantage of experience. Still, the GT injuries could negate that advantage.

Playing in the ACC, you’re going to accumulate losses. The problem comes when the non-conference losses add up. That makes those games against the middle-of-the-road SEC teams (Tennessee and Georgia) all the more important. They won’t be considered bad losses, but too many of these will burst the at-large bubble early.

Key Conference games

Dec. 30 – at Notre Dame

Jan. 20 – at North Carolina

Jan. 24 – Florida State

Feb. 8 – at Louisville

Feb. 11 – Duke

It might not be possible to have an easier schedule in the ACC than what Georgia Tech came out with. Three of the top teams, (Duke, North Carolina and Louisville) only play the Yellow Jackets once and they get Duke at home.

The teams who come up twice on the schedule include Wake Forest, Clemson, and NC State. These are by no means easy games, but there’s an opportunity for Georgia Tech to pick up more wins. More importantly, the overall losses won’t add up.