Georgia Tech avoided last place in the ACC’s preseason media poll. However, the Yellow Jackets were picked to finish 14th in the 15-team league. Tech was ahead of only Boston College, which last year was winless in ACC play.
The vote was released Wednesday at the ACC’s Operation Basketball media day.
Expectations are low because of the heavy losses that Tech suffered, losing five seniors, including All-ACC guard Marcus Georges-Hunt. According to an ESPN rating, Tech is the least experienced team in Division I, all 351 teams.
It’s the second time that Tech has been projected to finish 14th since the league expanded to 15 teams going into the 2013-14 season. The first time was prior to the 2014-15 season, when Tech went on to finish 13th.
Dating back to its entry into the league in the 1979-80 season, Tech has been picked to finish last six times.
Duke was voted the preseason favorite, receiving 85 of the 91 first-place ballots. North Carolina was second, taking the other six first-place votes. Virginia, Louisville and Syracuse rounded out the top five. Duke guard Grayson Allen was the leading vote getter for preseason player of the year. Clemson forward Jaron Blossomgame, from Alpharetta and Chattahoochee High, received the second most votes.
Tech begins play Nov. 11 against Tennessee Tech.
ACC Operation Basketball 2016-17 Preseason Poll
(First-place votes in parenthesis)
Team & Points
1. Duke (85) - 1359
2. North Carolina (6) - 1239
3. Virginia - 1125
4. Louisville - 1034
5. Syracuse - 905
6. NC State - 772
7. Notre Dame - 716
8. Florida State - 705
9. Miami - 650
10. Virginia Tech - 645
11. Clemson - 623
12. Pitt - 511
13. Wake Forest - 309
14. Georgia Tech - 199
15. Boston College – 128
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