Syracuse can push its winning streak to five games on Saturday against Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets (9-6) are struggling this season, but they’ve turned a corner in recent weeks. A win to open up ACC play against Wake Forest, followed by a three-point loss to No. 9 Virginia Tech.
Both of those games were at home, so a trip to the Carrier Dome will be a whole new test for a team that has had 10 different starting lineups this season. Here’s a few of the key players you should watch out for.
Jose Alvarado (PG):¬†The six-foot guard paces the Yellow Jackets with 13.6 points per contest. Alvarado missed the final two months of the 2017-18 season after dislocating his shoulder. Before his injury, Alvarado ranked fourth in the county among freshman in minutes played. A New York native, Alvarado followed in the footsteps of legendary Empire State guard Kenny Anderson and Stephon Marbury, who both played at GT. He’s a tough player that isn’t going to burn you with the three (27%), but will ware you down with his grit. Alvarado played all but one minute against Virginia Tech on Wednesday.
James Banks III (F/C):¬†Syracuse will have to deal with Banks III in the paint on Saturday. He’s nearly averaging a double double (9.3 p, 7.9r) and plays nearly 30 minutes per game. On top of those accolades, Banks blocks 2.43 shots per game on average. He transferred from Texas last year and has one year of eligibility left after this season. Banks looks like he’s finding his stride after not playing much at Texas.
Michael DeVoe (G):¬†Coming out of Montverde Academy, DeVoe was ranked as high as the 13th best point guard in his class. He hasn’t fully shown his potential this year, scoring nine points per game. DeVoe’s season high is 16 against Wake Forest earlier this month. The 6-foot-4 guard is shooting just 32 percent from beyond the arc this season. He played just 15 minutes against VT. DeVoe hasn’t been great this year, in large part because of his inconsistency. Don’t be surprised if he has a big game against the Orange. He certainly has the potential.
Georgia Tech isn’t a team that will overwhelm you with talent, but they do have the potential to compete with the better teams in the ACC.
