University of Miami

Here’s what you need to know about the UM men’s basketball game vs. Georgia Tech

Miami Hurricanes guard Chris Lykes (0) looks to pass from under the basket in the first half as the Miami Hurricanes beat the Clemson Tigers in Coral Gables on Wednesday, February 13, 2019.
Miami Hurricanes guard Chris Lykes (0) looks to pass from under the basket in the first half as the Miami Hurricanes beat the Clemson Tigers in Coral Gables on Wednesday, February 13, 2019. adiaz@miamiherald.com

The Miami Hurricanes have had almost a week to regroup after a road loss at Boston College, and they hope to turn things around Saturday at a 2 p.m. home game against Georgia Tech.

Miami is 11-14 overall and began conference play 1-8, but is 2-2 over its past four games, with wins over Notre Dame and Clemson and an overtime road loss at No. 8 North Carolina. The Hurricanes are in a three-way tie for 12th place with Notre Dame and Wake Forest following a 64-57 loss at Boston College last Sunday.

The Eagles held UM to 36.7 percent shooting and the Hurricanes were 4-of-26 from beyond the arc.

The undermanned Hurricanes have been struggling all season with a seven-man rotation. Although five UM players average double figures, and point guard Chris Lykes is fifth in the ACC with 17 points per game, Miami has fallen short in several games that seemed winnable well into the second half.

Georgia Tech (12-15, 4-10 ACC) is coming off a 73-65 win over last-place Pittsburgh. Jose Alvarado scored a game-high 29 points and leads the Yellow Jackets with 12.3 points per game. James Banks III averages 10.2 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.

Alvarado, a sophomore point guard from Brooklyn, New York, who played on Puerto Rico’s junior national team, was recruited by Miami, Indiana, and St. John’s, among others. The matchup of Lykes against Alvarado should be entertaining.

The last time the Canes and Yellow Jackets played, on Jan. 3, 2018, Georgia Tech won 64-54 in Atlanta.

After Saturday’s game, the Hurricanes have back-to-back road games in North Carolina – at Wake Forest on Tuesday and at No. 1 Duke on Sat. Mar 2.

This story was originally published February 22, 2019 at 5:06 PM.

Michelle Kaufman
Miami Herald
Miami Herald sportswriter Michelle Kaufman has covered 14 Olympics, six World Cups, Wimbledon, U.S. Open, NCAA Basketball Tournaments, NBA Playoffs, Super Bowls and has been the soccer writer and University of Miami basketball beat writer for 25 years. She was born in Frederick, Md., and grew up in Miami.
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