The problems are many for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, who will try to end a five-game losing streak Tuesday night at No. 24 Clemson.
Two issues have become increasingly detrimental to the Yellow Jackets – their difficulty in getting to the free-throw line and making shots when they actually get there. Tech has taken a total of 28 free throws in its past three games – home losses to Pittsburgh, N.C. State and Syracuse.
It dropped the Jackets’ average to 15.2 free throws per game, third fewest in the ACC. Tech’s opposition shot a combined 58 free throws in the three games. In league play, the Jackets’ average is 12.2 free throws per game, which is second fewest in the conference. A year ago, the Jackets were 14th in free throws per game in ACC games at 13.4 per game.
“I’ve got to tell our guys to keep driving because we do need to get to the free-throw line more because as much as we’re struggling to score, we’re not getting to the free-throw line much,” coach Josh Pastner said Monday on the ACC coaches teleconference.
Tech’s other free-throw problem is its accuracy. Of the Jackets’ 28 free throws in the past three games, they made only 11 of them, 39.3%. That dropped Tech’s season rate to 69.1%, last in the ACC.
In Tech’s first game against Clemson this season, a 79-66 loss to the Tigers at McCamish Pavilion on Dec. 21, the Jackets were 11-for-18 from the line, and Clemson was 12-for-13.
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