Game day central: Louisville basketball looks to stay hot vs. Georgia Tech
Louisville basketball will try to extend its winning streak as it returns home to face the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
It’s always tough for a team to refocus after a narrative changing win regardless of the season. However, for Chris Mack and Louisville basketball, the Cardinals draw one of the best possible conference foes in reeling Georgia Tech.
The Yellow Jackets are struggling once again under the perplexing Josh Pastner, staring a third consecutive losing season in the face.
Still, this is a conference game, and a win, regardless of how pretty, would still count the same as Saturday’s epic showdown with Duke.
Let’s take a look at the key match-ups and players and break down how the Cards can come away with their fifth consecutive conference win.
Who: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Louisville Cardinals
When: Wednesday, January 22nd, 2020 at 7:00 PM ET
Where: KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, KY
TV: ACC Network Extra
Radio: WHAS 840 AM
Spread check: Louisville 13.5 (Courtesy of the Action Network)
Streaks: Louisville W5, Georgia Tech L2
Key Storylines
Louisville
Lost in the shuffle during Louisville’s impressive five-game winning streak has been its propensity to get out to a hot start but then suddenly lose all momentum at some point late in the first half or early in the second half.
The Cardinals stayed true to form once again on Saturday, jumping out to an impressive 16-point lead early on but ultimately allowing the Blue Devils to come all the way back and tie the game late in the second half.
Louisville ultimately has been able to put away Duke, Pitt, and Notre Dame after they looked dead in the water because that’s what great teams do.
But great teams also know when to put their foot on the gas and finish off a game when they have the opportunity.
Mack’s squad is still learning how to seal the deal when they get the chance, and until they can do so, they are going to be keeping fans on the edge of their seats every game.
Georgia Tech
Can this season still become a success in Josh Pastner’s fourth season? So far, it appears the answer would be a resounding “no.”
After a promising first season in which Tech probably should have gotten a better look at the NCAA tournament but ultimately ended up making the NIT Final, the future looked bright with a young budding coach in an elite league and a recruiting gold mine to work with.
However, the Yellow Jackets have had back-to-back losing seasons, and they are on track for a third in a row.
There’s still an opportunity to turn things around though. Tech plays Louisville once more after this match-up, but aside from that, they don’t face another ranked or quasi-ranked foe for the remainder of the season.
Additionally, Tech has hung in there against tougher competition. They kept a game against Duke to single digits, showed plenty of promise against Kentucky, and actually started the season with a win at an NC State squad who will contend for a double-bye in the ACC Tournament.
Georgia Tech’s record reflects a poor team, but plenty of promise still remains for a squad hopeful to get hot late and made a run towards the NIT tournament. A win at Louisville would certainly help jump start things.