Frank Lorenzo
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at (15) North Carolina Tar Heels (-13, 135.5 o/u)
After a heartbreaking loss to Duke during the week, the No. 15 North Carolina Tar Heels (18-8, 8-5 ACC) will try to rebound today when they host the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (12-14, 3-11 ACC) at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill (12:00 p.m. Eastern).
Up ten late against Duke on Wednesday, the Tar Heels saw their lead vanish in the closing minutes and ultimately fell 92-90 in overtime. Despite the harsh nature of the loss, the team is doing its best to stay positive.
“We’re still composed,” junior forward J.P. Tokoto said after the game. “We’re still going to keep our composure. We’re not going to panic. We’ve just got to buckle down when it comes down to it.”
Georgia Tech, meanwhile, snapped a two-game losing streak by beating Clemson, 63-52, on Monday. Prior to that game, the Yellow Jackets had just two wins in their last 13 tries. Tech is languishing near the bottom of the ACC standings as a result, ahead of only 2-11 Virginia Tech and 1-12 Boston College.
Georgia Tech head coach Brian Gregory was ecstatic with his team’s hustle against Clemson.
“They came out and fought with an unbelievable intensity level and an unbelievable belief in each other,” Gregory said. “They had a spirit that was really good to see from the opening tip. … Our total team effort and the team energy was great.”
Looking at the trends, North Carolina is 15-2 SU in its last 17 at home against Georgia Tech, but 7-15-1 ATS in its last 23 versus the Yellow Jackets.
Apart from a 57-28 embarrassment against the Virginia Cavaliers, Tech has tended to keep its losses this year. In its last four setbacks, the team lost by four vs. Florida State, two at Virginia Tech, six at Duke, and one (in OT) vs. NC State.
With the Yellow Jackets getting 13 tonight, taking Georgia Tech and the points looks like the better option.
(Photo credit: Will Folsom (flickr) [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode]. Photo has been cropped.)
