Georgia Tech-Maryland Preview: Turnovers Hold the Key to Victory

Two struggling ACC teams meet on Sunday night as the Maryland Terrapins try to take down Georgia Tech in Atlanta. Maryland has yet to win a road game this year, but the Terps have won seven in a row against Paul Hewitt and Georgia Tech.

Records:

Georgia Tech 10-11, 1-7, 8-5 (home), RPI: No. 141
Maryland 14-8, 3-5, 0-4 (away), RPI: No. 75

Series:

Maryland has won seven of the last 10.
Maryland has won three of the last five at Georgia Tech.

Players to Watch

Georgia Tech
F Gani Lawal (15.8ppg, 10.4rpg), F Alade Aminu (12.1ppg), G Iman Shumpert (11.4ppg)

Maryland
G Grevis Vasquez (16.0ppg), F Landon Milbourne (13ppg), G Adrian Bowie (10.4ppg)

What Georgia Tech must do to win...

Break out the broken record...Tech has keep to keep their turnovers down. This was something they did well in the first half vs. FSU, when they had the lead. Then it all fell apart in the second half.

Tech had 28 TURNOVERS in a loss earlier this season to the Terps. If they avoid them this time, the Jackets should be able to to get the ball down low to their bigs, Lawal and Aminu, who have an advantage against Maryland's undersized big men.

What Maryland must do to win...

Maryland has to shoot better than they did against Georgia Tech in their January win, where they hit just 32 percent from the floor. The Terps were able to force 28 turnovers in that game.

Maryland should double down on Aminu and Lawal, who had 10 turnovers combined in the first game, and make Tech hit shots from the outside. Maryland needs to continue their solid FT shooting as well.

Prediction

Georgia Tech led most of the way on the road in the first meeting with Maryland, but turnovers down the stretch cost them the game. I think Georgia Tech is playing better than they were then, but they can't afford the five minutes stretches of bad play that has plagued them.

I think Tech pulls this one out at home with strong performances by Lawal and Shumpert. Georgia Tech wins by anywhere from two to nine points