After earning an NIT berth last season, its first postseason appearance in four years, Georgia Tech intends to take another step forward this season.
The journey for the Yellow Jackets begins Monday night when they host Maryland Eastern Shore.
Georgia Tech won seven of its final 10 in the regular season to merit its NIT bid last season, then retained preseason All-ACC selection Baye Ndongo. The junior put up 13.4 points and 8.9 rebounds per game.
Third-year head coach Damon Stoudamire likes the direction of his team.
“I think we are right on point to where we need to be,” Stoudamire said. “We continue to move the needle. I think we have a team with depth. We’ve got numbers, competition and I think collectively, we have a group that likes each other. Those are the biggest ingredients to having a good team.”
For the Hawks, they are working to forge an identity with 12 new players.
“It’s the state of college basketball right now with the transfer portal,” said UMES head coach Cleo Hill Jr. “For us, with 12 new guys, it’s been great. The energy has been good. We’re excited.”
UMES has two preseason All-MEAC picks in Christopher Flippin and Michael Teal.
Flippin, a first-team honoree, averaged 9.9 points and 5.5 rebounds for a Hawks team that finished 6-25 last season.
Teal, a transfer from South Carolina State, is a third-team pick. He averaged 6.5 points and 2.3 assists per outing in limited action.
The Hawks are looking to have a better year after losing 14 of their final 16 last season. They are picked to finish seventh in the MEAC.
Ndongo isn’t Georgia Tech’s only much-anticipated returnee as Kowacie Reeves Jr. and Jaeden Mustaf will also be key. Reeves played in only six games due to a foot injury but averaged 9.8 points during his junior season. Mustaf tallied 8.3 points per game.
“They know what the standard is each and every day, and it makes it easier as a coach and staff to create culture when we have people in the locker room who understand the culture,” Stoudamire said.