GAME NOTES: Georgia Tech and Northwestern will meet in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge for the third time in five years when the Yellow Jackets tangle with the Wildcats at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Wednesday.

Northwestern won both previous meetings between these programs.

The Yellow Jackets are 5-1 through six games of Brian Gregory's fourth season as head coach. Georgia Tech began its campaign with three straight wins at home over Georgia, Alabama A&M and IPFW before dropping a 72-70 decision to Marquette in the opening round of the Orlando Classic. The Yellow Jackets bounced back from the setback with victories over Rider (61-54) and Rhode Island (64-61). Georgia Tech is tied for 10th among ACC schools in scoring offense (69.8 ppg) and ranks 11th in the conference in points allowed per game (62.5).

The Yellow Jackets own a 5-9 mark in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and had lost five consecutive games in the series before defeating Illinois last December. Marcus Georges-Hunt played very well in the Orlando Classic, scoring in double figures in all three contests to average a team-best 13.3 ppg. Ole Miss transfer Demarco Cox has reached double figures in five of his last six outings. Cox scored 10 points or more in only five of his 102 appearances with the Rebels. Georgia Tech has a dangerous 3-point threat in Chris Bolden, who converted 4-of-9 attempts from beyond the arc in the Orlando Classic. Sophomore point guard Josh Heath has compiled 29 assists against seven turnovers to rank fourth in the ACC in assist/turnover ratio (4.8).

The Wildcats are hardly better in the event, as they enter with a 6-9 all-time record in the Challenge. Coach Chris Collins led his squad to five consecutive wins to begin his second season at the helm of the program, but Northwestern fell to 5-1 on Wednesday with a 61-42 loss to Northern Iowa in the title game of the Cancun Challenge. The Wildcats are 3-0 at Welsh-Ryan Arena, where they have taken down Houston Baptist (65-58), North Florida (69-67) and Elon (68-67).

Due to the slower-paced style of play implemented by Collins, the Wildcats are ranked second to last in the Big Ten in scoring at 61.3 ppg, but are the fourth-stingiest school in the league defensively with an allowance of only 59.2 ppg. Northwestern's interior defense is anchored by the duo of Alex Olah and Gavin Skelly, who combined for seven of the team's school record 10 blocks in the first half of the win over Miami-Ohio. Collins has a pair of reliable senior scorers in Tre Demps and JerShonn Cobb, although the latter is off to a slow start to his senior year with only 5.7 ppg. The Wildcats also have a bright future, as rookie floor general Bryant McIntosh and freshman forward Vic Law have made immediate impacts in Evanston.

The Wildcats' inexperience will cost them some games they should win during the 2014-15 season. Northwestern is capable of sending the Yellow Jackets back to Atlanta with another loss, but it will need to submit a decent offensive showing to survive.