Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt describes his team's five-game losing streak as a tailspin.
Perhaps getting off to a quicker start might help the team avoid the slow, downward spiral.
The Yellow Jackets have found themselves trailing by at least eight points in the first half of each game during the streak. Virginia Tech had an unfathomable 25-point lead with 7:41 remaining in the half on Sunday.
When a team is having trouble scoring, like the Jackets are, that's not a recipe for success. Georgia Tech (10-14) is now left to ponder how to break this streak with Chattanooga (14-13) coming to Alexander Memorial Coliseum on Wednesday, with a game at Duke on Sunday.
There is an immediate and obvious solution:
"You get a win and the sun comes out again. The birds start chirping," Hewitt said.
Hewitt faulted Tech's shot selection for the Hokies' ability to build such a substantial margin so quickly. The Jackets took a lot of 3-pointers -- 28 in total, 10 in the first half -- which led to long rebounds and transition baskets for Virginia Tech. When they tried to go inside, Tech's less-experienced big men couldn't beat Virginia Tech's. On defense, rebounds weren't leading to transition baskets because players weren't hustling down the court. It's been that way for parts of each of the past five games.
"Offense is just not clicking," Hewitt said. "We aren't making shots."
No, they aren't. Tech is last in the ACC in field-goal percentage (40.7) and 3-point percentage (29.3). Iman Shumpert and Glen Rice are taking the majority of the shots, mostly because their teammates seem gun-shy. Opponents know it, which makes defending the Jackets' offense that much easier.
Maurice Miller said he doesn't know why the team keeps getting off to slow starts. He said there are a combination of factors, including the fact that the players aren't following the game plans given to them by the coaches.
"We have to get back to doing what they want us to do," he said. "It's something you can't put your finger on. We could be sidetracked by the losing streak. We have to get back on one accord."
The loss to Virginia Tech, in which Shumpert said the players got away from the scouting report, is just the most recent example. Florida State was able to race out to a 20-4 lead with 10:37 remaining in the first half. Clemson had an 11-point lead with three minutes left in the half. That came after Tech led by 12 with 10 minutes remaining. Miami led by 11 with 10:26 left before the intermission and eventually pushed it to 21 in the second half. Maryland led by eight just four minutes into the game.
Even in its wins, Tech has frequently had to come from behind. The Hokies led the Jackets by seven with less than 12 minutes remaining when Tech's jump shots finally started to fall in the 72-57 victory in their first meeting Atlanta on Jan. 25.
"We need to come out and play hard," Shumpert said.
Miller said they have to get the problem solved by March 10, which is the opening round of the ACC tournament. He said winning it, which the team hasn't done under Hewitt, is the only realistic shot the team has at making it to the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive year.
"We've got to make progress until then," he said.
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