GAME NOTES: Coming off an upset loss to USC Upstate, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets will attempt to get back in the win column as they host the Appalachian State Mountaineers in a non-conference affair at McCamish Pavilion.

Appalachian State brings a 3-3 record to Atlanta to face the Yellow Jackets. The Mountaineers have won three of their past four contests, but a loss to Hofstra, 68-51, in their most recent outing set the team back to a .500 record.

The 59-54 loss USC Upstate snapped a three-game win streak for the Jackets. Still, the team brings a healthy 6-2 record into this clash, and sports a 3-1 mark at home this season.

Appalachian State opened the year with back-to-back losses, but rallied with three straight wins, including topping ACC foe Virginia Tech (65-63). The Mountaineers however, have fallen back to .500 on the season with a 68-51 loss to Hofstra last time out.

The all-time series between these two sides certainly doesn't favor Appalachian State. The Mountaineers and Yellow Jackets have met four times on the hardwood, with Georgia Tech taking all four decisions. In games played in Atlanta, the Jackets own a 3-0 lead over Appalachian State.

It wasn't a pretty offensive performance for Appalachian State against Hofstra, as the Mountaineers finished the game shooting just 34 percent from the floor with a 3-of-17 mark from 3-point distance showing a glaring weakness. Frank Eaves had to provide the scoring spark once again, leading the team with 13 points in the defeat. Both Tommy Spagnolo and Griffin Kinney added eight points apiece, and were the next-highest scorers in the contest for the Mountaineers.

Offense has been a struggle at times for Appalachian State, but the primary deficiency is on the defensive end. The Mountaineers will head to Atlanta giving up just shy of 70.0 ppg to opponents on 44.2 percent shooting from the floor. Eaves leads his team in scoring, netting 17.0 ppg, though the guard is only connecting on 34.3 percent of his shots from the field. Spagnolo is the only other Mountaineers player netting a double-digit point total with 10.0 ppg. He tops the team in rebounding, averaging 7.3 boards grabbed per outing.

Georgia Tech shot the ball better from the floor than USC Upstate in the team's last outing (37 percent compared to 30.2 percent for the Spartans), but 17 turnovers and a 3-of-21 mark from 3-point distance derailed the Yellow Jackets in their quest for victory. Chris Bolden was the only player to net a scoring total in double figures with 10 points in the loss. Demarco Cox scored eight points and pulled down a team-high eight rebounds in the defeat.

Marcus Georges-Hunt, who netted eight points with seven rebounds in the loss to USC Upstate, leads the team in scoring. Georges-Hunt owns an 11.0 ppg mark, followed closely by Charles Mitchell (190.4 ppg) and Cox (10.0 ppg). The Yellow Jackets have been a strong rebounding team so far, averaging 40.8 boards per outing, led by Mitchell's 7.8 rpg. Georgia Tech has performed well defensively, giving up 61.5 ppg to opponents. But with 112 turnovers to 91 assists this season, the team needs to be more careful with the ball.

After plenty of time off, Georgia Tech should be fired up and ready to get back in the win column at home. Appalachian State will need to get plenty of scoring, which means other players besides Eaves need to contribute. The Mountaineers just don't match up well with the big and physical Yellow Jackets.