Tech tipping off in first ACC road game at UVa
CHARLOTTESVILLE – Greetings from ‘Hoo-ville and the home of the Virginia Cavaliers, where Tech plays its first ACC road game of the season tonight at 7.
The game is not on TV but will have a live video broadcast on TheACC.com. I’ll try to blog some as we go to keep you updated until my newspaper deadlines start coming into play, so come on board.
And let me just say, the grounds here at UVa are quite lovely this time of year, with snow still on the ground from a recent storm. And from everything I’ve seen of John Paul Jones Arena, it’s first-rate, right down to – yes, the media work room. Hey, we have our priorities.
(I’m told, by the way, they don’t call it a campus round here, it’s got to be called the grounds, the students are first year, second year, etc, instead of freshmen, sophomores, etc., and well, they refer to a certain founding father of ours as Mr. Jefferson.)
I’m a little nostalgic that I didn’t get to see University Hall, having seen it so many years on the tube, but the security guard who walked me to the media workroom (folks are nice around here, I have to say) said something about asbestos. Enough said.
Anyway, the game. And so the Yellow Jackets begin a stretch of back-to-back road games this week, with No. 12 North Carolina coming up on Saturday. And actually, by the rankings, this game is the “easiest” thing Tech will have in a while. After tonight’s matchup, Tech faces three consecutive ranked opponents in No. 12 UNC, No. 24 Clemson at home and No. 25 Florida State on the road.
So this is one the Yellow Jackets need to win to continue the momentum they started with their win over No. 5 Duke on Saturday and to get a running start on this tough stretch with three of four games on the road.
Out of the ACC first’s 14 games heading into tonight, the home team has won 11 of them – the lone exceptions were Florida State’s win at Tech on Dec. 20, Virginia’s win at N.C. State on Saturday and N.C. State’s win at Florida State last night.
Tech’s last road game was pretty much a dud, as you know, in Athens. Coach Paul Hewitt said after that loss to Georgia, he regretted not pressing more and forcing the issue on defense. That’s something the Yellow Jackets came out doing against Duke and it worked to perfection, wearing down Duke’s thin backcourt and taking their legs out of their jump shots.
It would seem like a good idea tonight, to get the energy flowing on the road, but I’m not sure if that’s the best strategy either. Virginia plays three and four guards and is a pretty good ball-handling team. Shoot, 11 of the guys on Virginia’s roster have a “G” by their names.
In fact, the Cavaliers average only 10.5 turnovers per game, which is tops in the ACC. They are also second in the ACC in team free throw percentage at 74.7 percent, trailing only Duke (76.8 percent). (Georgia Tech is fifth by the way, with a 69.3 free throw percentage as a team. And Tech is 11th out of 12 teams in turnovers per game at 16.5)
Virginia made 19 of 20 free throws in its win over NC State Saturday. So the Yellow Jackets will need to move their feet on defense tonight to keep Virginia off the foul line.
As Hewitt said earlier this week, the game should prove to be an interesting contrast in styles with Virginia’s strength playing small, and Tech’s strength playing big. It’ll be interesting to see who has to give into whom. And D’Andre Bell, as usual, will draw the toughest defensive assignment, guarding sophomore Sylven Landesberg, who is averaging 17.0 ppg.
Hewitt recruited Landesberg out of high school and is very familiar with the defending ACC rookie of the year. He’s what Hewitt had to say about Landesberg, leading into tonight’s game.
“Sylven’s a guy who is just a dynamic scorer,” Hewitt said. “He can score a lot of different ways. He’s shooting the 3 better this year. He’s always been able to go to the basket. He’s an outstanding free throw shooter. And you put him at the power forward position he creates a big matchup problem.”
Virginia is trying to go to 2-0 in the ACC for the first time since 1994-95, which for a point of reference was Junior Burroughs’ senior year. Just showing off some old ACC knowledge, and I can do it without Mark Bradley here to put me to shame with his. Talk at you as we go, if there are folks interested in chatting.
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177 comments Add your comment
NoCoach Hewitt
January 13th, 2010
10:41 pm
Damn Groh interviewed for Dolphin job
Still Sick
January 13th, 2010
10:42 pm
Groh could coach our bball team and be an upgrade.
NoCoach Hewitt
January 13th, 2010
10:43 pm
Still Sick so could a llama
NoCoach Hewitt
January 13th, 2010
10:43 pm
I am trying to find out if this moron has a winning record against ONE ACC team
Still Sick
January 13th, 2010
10:44 pm
It has been fun engaging in this blog for once, but I have to focus on my job tomorrow. If I only make 22% of my clients happy, I doubt I will be employed much longer.
get off hewitt nuts
January 13th, 2010
10:44 pm
Still sick,
u represent whats wrong with NCAA basketball…u are the reason why players only want to stay in school for 1 year and go to the pros…Coaches are the biggest thing in college bball now, its not about the players anymore its all about the coaches, thats why Fla st,BC, miami, clemson( especially clemson , they start off the non confrence every year undefeated and when it comes to leauge play they are barely 500) will never win the ACC…
Still sick,
coach K, roy willaims and gary williams have won the last 6 acc titiles right?
get off hewitt nuts
January 13th, 2010
10:47 pm
good night racist suckers, no point in me trying to talk some sense into your heads, Hell u guys are the same people who voted for Mcclain,
Still Sick
January 13th, 2010
10:47 pm
do you have season tickets no coach? I am in section 2.
NoCoach Hewitt
January 13th, 2010
10:49 pm
Did but sold them last 3 years…..cant take it anymore
Still Sick
January 13th, 2010
10:50 pm
get off hewitt, I played at GT so I will leave it at that.
Carroll Rogers
January 13th, 2010
10:50 pm
Think the troubling number is not the free throws missed tonight but the lack of free throws taken. Tech got outscored by 20 points at the line tonight, Virginia was 23-for-26, Tech 3-for-11. …And they got outrebounded by a guard-oriented team: 36-33, they were tied 15-15 at the defensive end, but Virginia had 15 offensive rebounds to Tech’s 12.
After the game, Hewitt, and Shumpert talked about getting rushed late and not running the offense, not getting the ball inside. Favors scored 12 points, but only 2 in the second half. And Shumpert scored 15 points, but only 4 in the second half.
OK, gotta hit the road, but i see you guys are taking it from here.
Clemson is up 71-59 on Carolina right now, so problems could be compounded if North Carolina comes into Saturday needing a big win.
NoCoach Hewitt
January 13th, 2010
10:50 pm
the garbage we play is not basketball…I rather go see an NBA game at this point which i never thought i would say
NoCoach Hewitt
January 13th, 2010
10:52 pm
No way CAROL a BLEWITT team not getting the ball inside and getting rushed at the end of the game and turning the ball over………I dont believe it
Techfan78
January 13th, 2010
10:52 pm
get off hewitts nuts, thats actually a very good point. I totally agree with you that Duke never gets anything called against them. I remember the CL shot against Kentucky. He practically tackled the Kentucky player (man I always hated Laettner or however you spell his last name, he was a punk) and they did nothing to him, but if Jamaal Mashburn had have did what CL did they would have called offensive foul. It is B. S. With that being said though, even with Clemson, FSU, and The “U” not getting any calls they still WIN. That is the bottom line, W’s and L’s. Clemson and FSU both made the big dance last year (I believe Miami was NIT) with far less talent than we put on the floor. It all goes back to coaching. Paul Hewitt is not the answer for this program. We need to just go ahead and get rid of him and get someone who will COACH his team some offensive. Anyone can play D in basketball. D in basketball is 95% hustle and 5% coaching. Get off hewitts nuts, I was a hewitt fan until I actually started to realize that it wasnt his coachng, it was the drive and grit that players like BJ Elder, Will Bynum, Jarret Jack, and I cant remember the kids name from the final four team but he shot the lights out from three, much like A Mo. Those guys were passionate and had a will to win. Hewitt can thank those guys for the job he has now.
Still Sick
January 13th, 2010
10:59 pm
Marvin Lewis is who you are thinking about.
UGAissolastyear
January 13th, 2010
10:59 pm
I hope none of you watched the Duke game or thought, for one second, after we beat Duke that we were, all of sudden, going to be great this year. Losing our 1st ACC game to FSU, at home, should have been all you needed to see to know we were going to be awful again. Will probably win 2 games in the ACC again this year! Notice how Hewitt never blames himself for any of our losses – or, ever will.
Still Sick
January 13th, 2010
11:00 pm
Drad knows his football but he is relying on others to help him make his basketball decisions. I think he is going to do the right thing.
UGAissolastyear
January 13th, 2010
11:02 pm
Why do some of you address DRAD in here as if he reads these? He doesn’t come in here to read this. Email him directly. He reads his emails! drad@athletics.gatech.edu
Techfan78
January 13th, 2010
11:03 pm
Yes, thanks, Marvin Lewis. That dude could shoot the rock. We need to get some shooters like him and A Mo back in the program, problem is though Hewitt wouldnt teach them how to move without the ball. Remember JJ Reddick playing. I would get tired just watching him run around on the offensive end trying to find an open shot. Our guys just stand around and wait on a defender to trip and fall or something.Why cant we get players that fight there way to an open shot? Oh yeah, I forgot…our coach wont teach them to.
UGAissolastyear
January 13th, 2010
11:05 pm
And, to the person canceling his season tickets? You say that every year. I am shocked you still have them. For those who paid money to go to the Duke game the other day – you just add to Hewitt staying in town. An empty arena is the only way he gets fired. Believe me.
Techfan78
January 13th, 2010
11:07 pm
UGAissolastyear, thanks for DRADs email! Im gonna let him know what I think of Hewitt, im sure im not the only tech fan that will. He is a big boy and he is gonna do what he wants to but, I feel like with his desire to win he will do the right thing and releive Hewitt of his duties after we go 15-15 this season.
Hewitt Can't Coach
January 14th, 2010
12:00 am
Technophobia:
We got to the NC Game IN SPITE OF Hewitt, not because of him. He hasn’t changed a thing about his coaching style or tactics since before he got to Tech. That team had CHEMISTRY and they EXPECTED TO WIN…Those are qualities that come out of players, but Hewitt has no idea how to bring them out. That year it happened despite Hewitt.
Other coaches are far superior to Hewitt in recognizing team chemistry and BUILDING on it as a foundation for winning. They also produce a leader that focuses everyone on WINNING. Hewitt has no idea how to develop raw talent or “coach them up” to be even better than they think they can be. In fact, most talent that Hewitt gets his hands on regresses over time: “The Chan Gailey Effect”
Hewitt is WEAK, and teams tend to take on the personality of their coach. Shoot 10% FG and you start the next game. Heck, shoot 10% FT and you start the next game under Hewitt! There’s no STANDARD set by the coach, and that’s the coach’s JOB. Players consistently perform to a higher level under other coaches because if they don’t, then they SIT. Nobody rides the pine under Hewitt because he’s terrified of the prospect! Even fundamentals like FT shooting are DISMAL, if not downright embarrassing every year. These things are just no longer acceptable.
The NC Game team excelled far above anything Hewitt could’ve done to get them that far, which is exactly why he will NEVER get another team to another NC Game…EVER. The TEAM produced the results, not the coach. Successful ACC teams use BOTH, great talent and great coaching to win. We are doomed to only have 1 of those ingredients as long as Hewitt coaches…And the longer he stays, the more likely it becomes that we don’t even get the talent anymore.
GT Fan...
January 14th, 2010
12:24 am
Most games are won or lost from the FREE throw line! Take GT’s 3 ACC games …. lose in OT to FSU means had you hit just ONE more FT in regulation you win. Shot lights-out FTs vs Duke = WIN. Shoot, 27%, wait that can’t be correct … TWENTY-SEVEN % !?!?!! vs. VA = LOSS!!
Hint, hint PH ….. good FT shooters are also good shooters from all areas of the court. The FT line where you learn range & how to shoot! Plus, they are FREE, UNGUARDED shots!
Baba O'Riley
January 14th, 2010
6:29 am
get off hewitts nuts@10:09. You said that NO ACC team has won a game on the road this year. WE lost to FSU at home, which means that FSU has won a road game this year. don’t blame the officials. WE PLAY BAD BASKETBALL.
juvenal
January 14th, 2010
10:04 am
not gonna get season tix till this guy’s gone, too painful to watch, tix not hard to get if you want to suffer sometimes just to support GT, can’t give ‘em away…m, at least chan made it to the post-season..
CanHewitt
January 14th, 2010
2:09 pm
Hewitt is ruining Favors. He’s pretty much rated as top of the class, yes even higher than John Wall. But what the hell happened? Wall is next Jason Kidd while Favors’ stock is dropping. It’s not by much yet (from 2nd pick to 4th pick according to NBAdraft.net) because he still has enormous potential but he’ll definitely lose some money as the season goes on. You know what happened? Hewitt happened. How is Cousins at Kentucky putting up insane numbers along with other stars when he was rated a notch below Favors? What has changed since their senior season? It’s easy. Cousins is playing for Calipari and Favors for Hewitt.
NoCoach Hewitt
January 14th, 2010
5:34 pm
TechFan we will never have a JJ Reddick on this team until BLEWITT is gone. Its obvious that he has no intention of every having another white player on the team. Last one was Causey but BLEWITT would bench him for no good reason constantly. Only other white boy was luke schenscher and that is the extent of that list in 10 yrs