Tech’s offensive rebounds not yielding enough

That said, even the most fastidious statistician can’t help Gregory’s more significant problem, which is scoring more points off offensive rebounds, regardless of whether it’s on a stat report. It has been a liability in the Jackets’ 0-2 start in ACC play and less than a strength throughout the season. Tech plays its third conference game at noon Saturday against Wake Forest.

“That’s an area we need to improve on a little bit,” Gregory said Friday.

In Tech’s last-possession loss to Syracuse on Wednesday, the Jackets scored nine points on 19 offensive rebounds, compared with Syracuse picking up 10 points on 11 offensive rebounds. In the double-overtime defeat to Notre Dame last Saturday, the ratio was better — 17 points on 19 offensive rebounds, while the Irish gained nine extra points off their five offensive rebounds. Gregory said that the offense should generate a point per offensive rebound.

For the season, Tech has 184 second-chance points on 214 offensive rebounds.Jackets opponents are gaining 1.07 extra points per offensive rebound (115 points/107 offensive rebounds).

With their size and length, the Orange were particularly effective defending against Tech’s second chances. Center Demarco Cox was 2-for-5 on second-chance opportunities, part of a 2-for-10 night for the 52.5 percent shooter. Cox is allowed an off night, but given that Tech lost by one possession, one more point would have been quite useful.

“(The Orange) have done that to a lot of people, and have done that for 30 some years now, but in this league, you’re going to have some of that,” Gregory said.

The second-chance shortfall is part of a larger problem Tech faces in finishing shots close to the basket. The Jackets were 6-for-15 on attempts at the basket.

“It’s a little bit of everything,” Gregory said. “It’s a little bit of keeping your eye on the glass and on the rim, keeping your chin up through the contact, knowing contact’s coming and embracing the fact that there’s going to be contact.”

The need to be efficient with offensive rebounding is critical for the following reason. Gregory conceded after the Syracuse game, in which the Jackets shot 26.3 percent from the field, that “we’re not going to shoot the ball that well.”

As such, the Jackets are desperate for as many scoring chances as they can obtain. Counting on second-chance scoring would seem to play to Tech’s strength, as the Jackets ranked No. 8 in the country in offensive rebounding percentage entering Friday’s games, according to teamrankings.com. Further, Mitchell and Cox, the frontcourt bullies who have grabbed 93 of Tech’s 214 offensive rebounds, are Tech’s two most efficient scorers. However, it isn’t quite working as hoped.

“Sometimes, the thing you have to do on an offensive rebound is kick the ball out if you’re swarmed in there, if there’s a big mess of guys,” Gregory said. “It’s a feel. And you don’t want to take the aggressiveness away from the player when he gets an offensive rebound to power it back up, but again, that gamesmanship is important.”

Anything to avoid an 0-3 start in ACC play.

“We fight, we’re a resilient bunch, all those different things,” Gregory said. “But, obviously, getting a road win and, to be honest, at this point, getting any win right now (would help the team’s confidence). Home, road, in between, on the street, it doesn’t matter.”