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ACC Basketball Power Rankings: Duke Blue Devils gelling at the right time

By Michael Walton

DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 10: Teammates Jordan Goldwire #14, Wendell Moore Jr. #0 and Tre Jones #3 of the Duke Blue Devils react after a play against the Florida State Seminoles during their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 10, 2020 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 10: Teammates Jordan Goldwire #14, Wendell Moore Jr. #0 and Tre Jones #3 of the Duke Blue Devils react after a play against the Florida State Seminoles during their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 10, 2020 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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CHAPEL HILL, NC – JANUARY 04: Michael Devoe #0 of Georgia Tech (Photo by Andy Mead/ISI Photos/Getty Images).
CHAPEL HILL, NC – JANUARY 04: Michael Devoe #0 of Georgia Tech (Photo by Andy Mead/ISI Photos/Getty Images). /

7. Georgia Tech (12-13)(6-8 ACC)

Georgia Tech has been up-and-down all season but they are trending in the right direction with a tough season-defining slate coming up. The Yellow Jackets have added some quality wins to their resume over the last three games, with a road loss to scrappy Pittsburgh in between.

The Yellow Jackets have won games with their effort on defense and have been a top-30 defensive unit per KenPom. In their win over Virginia Tech, they held the Hokies to 38.2% shooting from the field and limited talented freshman Landers Nolley to 4-for-1 shooting. Georgia Tech had four players score in double figures in that win over Virginia Tech and they used that same kind of balanced effort to take down bigger opponents all season.

On Wednesday, Georgia Tech took down the team that is a mere 0.5 game back of the ACC lead in Louisville. The Cardinals came into McCamish Pavilion on a 10-game winning streak, expecting to knock off the Yellow Jackets on their way to a matchup with Syracuse on February 19th. The Georgia Tech defense stifled the Louisville offense on Wednesday and Yellow Jacket big man Moses Wright was a big reason why. Wright collected 6 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 steals on Wednesday, helping to neutralize the Louisville frontcourt.

In the win over Louisville, Georgia Tech held possible National Player of the Year candidate Jordan Nwora to 1-for-6 shooting from the field with 2 assists and 4 turnovers. Georgia Tech’s collective defensive effort held Louisville 16.8 points below their season average. Road matchups with Wake Forest and Syracuse will give the Yellow Jackets the chance to get to .500 before a four-game featuring two matchups with Clemson to end the season.