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Monday, January 22, 2007
Roadkill deadly for NCAA hopes
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We’re a nation born through protest of taxation that now taxes its citizens like mad so either anything is possible or crud just happens. By process of my anything-is-possible-or-even-probable theorem, then, I’ll suggest that Georgia Tech can make it to the NCAA Tournament. But the Yellow Jackets are going to have to do something upsetting, not that a win or two on the road will rankle like taxes.
Rather, these upsets would be good things.
Sorry to beat a horse that’s barely living, but the first whacks are coming today, and more will follow for the at least the next two days. With 15 straight road losses, Tech has to win on the road, or … they’ll be home during the NCAAs, hosting an NIT game.
Setting aside the possibility that Tech could make noise in the ACC Tournament, even if the Jackets win five of their six remaining home games (Virginia Tech, Clemson, N.C. State, Wake Forest, North Carolina and Boston College) and beat a sub-standard UConn Feb. 11 in the Georgia Dome … without a road win that would leave Tech 19-11 if the Jackets lose their five remaining road games (Maryland Wednesday, Wake Forest, Florida State, Duke and Virginia).
Again, not looking at what might happen in the ACC Tournament … 19-11 with ZERO road wins probably doesn’t get this team into the NCAAs, especially not with the growing fondness of the selection committee for mid-majors. The trend for picking a few Creightons, etc., figures lop one or two teams from most BCS conferences come tourney time. It happened last year, when the ACC sent four to the show.
If Tech wins just one on the road, say at Wake Forest Jan. 30, that still might not be enough depending on what happens in those six home games plus against UConn and in the ACC Tourney.
Win at Wake and get one someplace where the Jackets won’t be favored, like Wednesday at Maryland, and now we’re talking.
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