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Thursday, February 12, 2009
Breaking down the loss at Va. Tech
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Don’t know how many of you saw the game. I don’t think ESPN U gets into many households and I’m going to guess that the sort of passion for Georgia Tech basketball that would cause someone to go out in search of a sports bar carrying the game is not what one would call widespread.
I watched the game at Famous Pub in Toco Hills near Decatur. I didn’t have a great view of the game as somehow they decided to not put it on the big screen. Further, ESPN U apparently is not keen on showing instant replays.
Anyway, some observations:
Georgia Tech has turned into a free throw-making machine. The Jackets drained 17 of 20 shots from the line against Virginia Tech and have shot 77.2 percent in their last seven games, ever since their 7-for-19 night against Duke.
The trouble against the Hokies - or, among the troubles - was that the Jackets didn’t get to the line enough. Part of Tech’s plan was to drive to the basket in part to get fouled and to go to the line more often.
Tech shot 20 free throws (making 17) to Virginia Tech’s 36 (making 24).
The game had more than a few passing similarities with other Tech conference losses. The Jackets generally played the Hokies tough — Tech made more baskets, had more rebounds, had more assists, held the Hokies to 37.1 percent from the field and were even on turnovers (14, which was Tech’s lowest total in the past 11 games) but a few spurts and errant shooting knocked them out.
You’ll be interested to know that after Larry called in Wednesday’s blog for Lance Storrs — leading the team in three-point shooting at 41.3 percent (prior to the game) — to take more threes, Storrs took six of them, a personal season high. However, Storrs made only one of them.
(In Wednesday’s blog, E was spot on on a couple of his predictions - he said Tech would outrebound VT (which happened) and hold the Hokies to 35 percent shooting (they shot 37.1 percent). While underestimating Tech’s free-throw shooting (he called 10-for-19), he also gave Tech a little too much credit by saying the Jackets would lose by 3, 61-58.)
Overall, the Jackets were 4-for-18 from three-point range, and 25-for-63 (39.7 percent) from the field.
Also, as you may have read, Iman Shumpert may have a broken nose. He got popped while guarding Hank Thorns late in the game. X-rays taken last night didn’t show anything, but he’ll take another x-ray Thursday. We’ll hopefully have information later in the day.
Speaking of which, the football schedule is coming out from the ACC at 11 a.m. We’ll have it posted as quickly as we can.
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