Georgia Tech doesn’t lack for obstacles, but here’s a bigger one in its home game Saturday afternoon against Miami.
The Hurricanes have switched to a zone defense.
“A lot of times, how successful you are against a zone comes down to one thing,” coach Brian Gregory said. “Do you make some jump shots?”
For the Yellow Jackets this season, the answer largely has been not often enough. Tech has shot 29.8 percent from 3-point range. Through Wednesday’s games, that rate ranked 280th of 290 qualifying teams (minimum five made per game) in the country. If Tech is not able to convert from 3-point range, Miami likely will be content to stay in its zone defense, collapse around scoring threats Daniel Miller and Kammeon Holsey in the post and protect itself against drives to the basket by point guard Trae Golden and slashers such as Marcus Georges-Hunt.
“If they’re hitting their shots, it makes everything easier,” Miller said of his jump-shooting teammates.
Gregory said that his team has developed in its understanding of how to play against a zone defense, which the Jackets have faced a fair amount this season. One objective he mentions often is moving the ball side to side in an attempt to open creases inside the zone.
But, as he acknowledged, Tech will need some jump shooters, and those are in short supply. In Gregory’s estimation, a high-quality shooter will make 36 or 37 percent of his 3-pointers. Among players with more than five attempts, guard Solomon Poole is Tech’s best 3-point shooter, at 35.1 percent. He likely won’t be available Saturday for the third consecutive game. He missed the past two with a migraine headache.
Gregory said Thursday that Poole “is not going to get back with the team unless some medical issues are cleared up.” He said that the migraine was a factor, but that he could not offer more detail.
Another perimeter player who could possibly stretch Miami’s defense, forward Jason Morris, likely will be out. Morris suffered a concussion in a car accident Saturday and was still suffering from symptoms Thursday morning. Gregory said Thursday regarding Morris that “it doesn’t look good for Saturday.” Morris is a career 33.7 percent shooter from 3-point range.
More broadly, it hasn’t helped that Morris has played only six games this season. Guard Travis Jorgenson was another who might have helped Tech’s perimeter game, both with his passing and shooting, but he was lost for the season in November with an ACL tear. While forward Robert Carter was not much of a 3-point threat before likely being lost for the season with a meniscus tear in his left knee, his presence around the basket demanded attention from defenses, opening up space on the perimeter.
But perhaps most prominently, guard Chris Bolden, who has perhaps the best stroke on the team, is trying to remove himself from a season-long slump. The sophomore made 4 of 8 3-point tries in the win against Notre Dame on Saturday, but was 1-of-6 against Pitt in Tech’s 81-74 loss Tuesday. He has made 27.7 percent of his attempts.
“Sometimes you shoot the ball well, and it just doesn’t go in,” Gregory said.
All that said, Tech’s 3-point shooting is on a modest uptick. After shooting a season-worst 16.0 percent against Vanderbilt (4-for-25) on Dec. 21, the Jackets have improved in each of the five games since.
To avoid a 1-4 start in ACC play, another significant step forward may be necessary.
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