AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2007 > February > 02
Friday, February 2, 2007
Defense key to turnaround
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Paul Hewitt said he might start Anthony Morrow in place of Mouhammad Faye Saturday against Clemson yet also said he thinks the key to Tech turning it around will be defense.
Can’t argue that defense has been an issue, as the Jackets during their four-game losing streak have allowed shooting percentages of 47.3, 50.0, 59.5 and 54.3 percent. FSU hit them for better than 50 percent in the game before that too.
What astounds me most is the frequency with which opponents are getting to the basket. Against VT, it was everybody, including guards driving, but against Wake it was mostly the Deacons’ bigs, either Visser, Weaver or somebody else. Tech has been whipped on the defensive glass, too.
Wake missed just 21 shots Tuesday (out of 46), and grabbed 11 offensive rebounds or better than 50 percent of their missed shots. That’s a two-part ratio/recipe for disaster.
Tech’s had nine turnovers in each of the last two games so they’re not wasting as many possessions without at least getting up a shot, but they’re still not taking as many good shots as a team - any team - needs. In the second half against Wake, the Jackets were as good as in three weeks at attacking the basket. The results were big halves by Dickey and Smith, and Tech got to the free-throw line 22 times (as opposed to once in the first half). That HAS TO continue, especially since the absence of Clinch means this team can less often count on stroking jumpers for the bulk of its points.
Must win? I’d say so. Same with Tuesday against N.C. State, and next Sunday against UConn. All winnable if the Jackets show up and play with passion and purpose intertwined. Passion’s not going to get it done alone. Even if they play hard, but too loose, it won’t work. Clemson’s the league’s worst rebounding and free-throw shooting team. But then Wake is the league’s second-worst free-throw shooting team and they outscored the Jackets by 13 at the line Tuesday.
