Georgia Tech @ Florida State preview
Donald L. Tucker Civic Center
Last Meeting ( Dec 31, 2019 ) Georgia Tech 58, Florida State 70
No. 20 Florida State looks to continue its home success when it faces Georgia Tech on Tuesday night in Tallahassee, Fla., in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both teams.
The Seminoles (3-0) have opened the season with three straight home wins to extend their streak to 26 at the Donald L. Tucker Center. Florida State has won 68 of its past 71 home games.
Georgia Tech (2-2) figures to put up a strong fight after back-to-back wins over Kentucky and Nebraska. However, the Yellow Jackets have dropped 14 of their past 16 meetings with the Seminoles, including a 70-58 setback in Tallahassee last season.
Florida State is fresh off an 83-71 win over Florida on Saturday, a game in which Scottie Barnes recorded 17 points and five assists in 28 minutes.
Barnes made just 7 of 21 field-goal attempts over his first two college games before breaking out with a 7-of-10 effort against the Gators.
"There's no doubt he showed potential," Seminoles coach Leonard Hamilton said of Barnes. "He is showing the ability we always knew he had. He made pretty good decisions with the ball, and he did some athletic things."
The 6-foot-9 Barnes was a top 10 national recruit, so expectations are high. He said he believes he will work through any growing pains early in the season.
"As a point guard, I gotta have my own pace, I gotta be patient, I gotta run certain plays and certain sets," Barnes said after the victory over Florida. "I have to give the offense a good flow throughout the game. I can't just go out there and rush things and try and do my own thing."
Barnes (11.3) is one of four Seminoles averaging in double digits. M.J. Walker is at a team-best 17.7 points, while Balsa Koprivica (10.3) and Anthony Polite (10.0) are the others.
Georgia Tech is playing its second road game of the season and excelled in its first by winning 75-64 at Nebraska on Wednesday. That performance occurred three days after an impressive 79-62 neutral-court win over Kentucky.
Turnover margin was a key ingredient in both games as the Yellow Jackets committed just 15 miscues -- six against Kentucky, nine vs. Nebraska -- while forcing 37.
Jose Alvarado was the standout in the win over Nebraska with 24 points for his second 20-point outing of this season and 20th of his career. Alvarado scored 19 points in the final 10 minutes.
"This is us," Alvarado said. "This is Georgia Tech from now on. I'll be shocked if we stop playing like this. We've got to keep on improving because we are a really good team."
The Yellow Jackets held Nebraska to 37.7 percent shooting from the field -- including 8 of 23 from 3-point range -- while forcing 16 turnovers.
"Our young men deserve all the credit," Georgia Tech coach Josh Pastner said. "They were excellent. They defended at a high level."
Moses Wright leads the Yellow Jackets with averages of 21.3 points and 9.8 rebounds. Four other players are averaging in double digits: Alvarado (17.8), Bubba Parham (13.0), Michael Devoe (12.5) and Jordan Usher (11.0).
--Field Level Media