Georgia Tech's offense has trouble creating open shots and its defense is less than airtight. That combination explains its numbing slide, which extended into a fourth consecutive loss Tuesday in a 64-49 defeat to Miami at Philips Arena.
There was not much to commend Tech's performance beyond its work on the glass. The Yellow Jackets out-rebounded Miami 36-32. That did not save Tech from an eighth loss in nine games, one that dropped the Jackets into sole possession of last place in the ACC.
"You can't get 15 offensive rebounds unless you have a spirit about you in terms of how you're playing," coach Brian Gregory said. "At the same time, in this league, that one simple thing is not going to be enough."
The pounding administered by Miami (11-7 overall, 2-3 ACC) was evidence of that. Offensively, unencumbered shots at the basket were rare at Tech's end. Jump shots grazed the rim. Drives to the basket often resulted in off-balance attempts. Tech (8-12, 1-5) shot 35.7 percent from the field, the third game in the past four that the Jackets have shot under 36 percent. An offense desperate for freebies scraped for five fast-break points and converted five-of-11 free-throw attempts.
"We just have to get better at making the game easier for each other," Gregory said.
Going into Tuesday's game, 46.4 percent of the Jackets' baskets this season had been created by assists, the lowest rate in the ACC. Kickout passes to waiting 3-point shooters and well-executed pick-and-rolls have not graced the Tech offense often.
In Tuesday's game, Gregory said that he counted one basket scored off of a post move, another obstacle. Tech's inside game has struggled, which has freed opposing defenses to jam up the guards.
"We're getting the ball in there," Gregory said. "We've just got to be a little more productive."
On the defensive end, Miami pursued a weakness exploited by past Tech opponents. The Jackets are susceptible to drives at the basket, which often conclude in one of three ways – a basket, a kickout pass for an open jump shot, a putback after a miss because the initial drive forced other Tech defenders to help and left them out of position to rebound. Tuesday, Miami guards Shane Larkin and Durand Scott slashed to the basket, which helped create openings for forward Kenny Kadji to score 21 points on 8-for-15 shooting.
"They could penetrate almost whenever they wanted to," guard Glen Rice Jr. said. "I felt like we, as a whole, didn't play team defense."
The Jackets played their way into the loss by with another ineffective first half. While they managed to clear 20 points in the first half for the first time in the past four games, the Jackets trailed 35-22 at halftime, having permitted Miami to shoot 7-for-12 from 3-point range.
Trying for a combination to put some punch in the offense, Gregory started guards Rice and Jason Morris, Rice for the first time since the Jackets' loss to Fordham Dec. 29. While both are capable scorers, Rice and Morris shot a combined 1-for-12 in the first half. Guard Mfon Udofia ended up leading Tech in scoring with 14 points, followed by Rice with 13 and forward Julian Royal off the bench with 11. Rice's nine rebounds and five assists were also team highs.
"We're in a position where you just have to keep trying different things and see if guys will respond differently," Gregory said.
Tech didn't get closer than eight points in the second half. The Philips crowd, generously announced at 5,009, grew increasingly irritated with the Jackets' play.
Said Gregory, "We didn't play well at all."
Their stretch of three games in six days complete, the Jackets have four days off before yet another bear – on the road against No. 7 North Carolina on Sunday.
"We knew this stretch was going to be very difficult this month of January," Gregory said.
Add another rough loss to a brutal month.
