Georgia Tech opens conference slate against Miami

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets will be tested to begin ACC play by a Miami Hurricanes team that "seems to have Tech's number," writes Macon.com's Stan Awtrey.

Despite losing a couple of games that it probably shouldn't have, Miami rates as one of the nation's better teams in the RPI rankings while boasting a strength of schedule that is good for fourth in the country. The Hurricanes bounced back from a loss to Indiana State on Christmas Day by defeating LaSalle, 76-59, on Wednesday.

Last season, the Hurricanes gave Georgia Tech fits, holding the Yellow Jackets to just 42.5 points per game in two meetings. In the opening round of the ACC Tournament, Miami held Tech to 36 points on 31.8 percent shooting and used an 18-0 run at one point in the second half to pull away.

Georgia Tech head coach Brian Gregory knows his team is in for a battle on Saturday in Atlanta, as he explained to Awtrey:

"The first couple of weeks of our league play, not that any of it is going to be easy, we start off with a team picked in the top four of the league, Miami, that we struggled with both times last year. We're going to have to play extremely well on both ends of the floor to be successful on Saturday."

The Hurricanes (9-3) and Yellow Jackets (10-2) will tip off at 2:30 p.m. ET at McCamish Pavilion.