Georgia Tech Withdraws NCAA Appeal, Will Serve 2020 CBB Postseason Ban

Georgia Tech will serve its one-year postseason ban stemming from NCAA sanctions for impermissible benefits, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Ken Sugiura. 

The Yellow Jackets withdrew their appeal of the postseason ban, which will rule them out of the ACC and NCAA tournaments.

"I support the decision of our administration to withdraw the appeal of the competition penalty and am happy to know that we'll have this penalty behind us as we go into 2020-21," head coach Josh Pastner said. "Like our administration, I'm sad for our two seniors who won't have the opportunity to participate in the postseason in their final year."

In March 2019 the NCAA informed Georgia Tech of violations committed by former assistant coach Darryl LaBarrie and Ron Bell, who had been friends with Pastner. In one instance, LaBarrie provided $300 to a prospective recruit while at an Atlanta strip club.

The NCAA then handed down its ruling last September, banning the Yellow Jackets from the 2019-20 postseason and removing one scholarship for each of the four years they're on probation.

Sugiura reported the school is still appealing the scholarship reductions.

Monday's decision was likely down to pragmatism to some extent.

With a 15-14 overall record, Georgia Tech needed to win the ACC tournament in order to seal a berth in the Big Dance. The Yellow Jackets might have received an invitation to a secondary tourney, but they're probably balancing that against whatever shot they'll have of partaking in March Madness in 2021.

The team's top three leading scorers (Michael Devoe, Jose Alvarado and Moses Wright) should be back next season, giving Pastner a much better shot at guiding Tech to its first NCAA tournament appearance under his watch.