Stitt will start for Clemson
Word around the press room is that Clemson’s point guard Demontez Stitt is going to start tonight against Georgia Tech. Coach Oliver Purnell said as much in the Clemson pre-game radio show. That sprained left foot that forced Stitt out of the NC State game Saturday has done quite a bit of healing.
Stitt practiced on Monday, in a limited capacity, but looked good during Clemson’s shoot-around this morning, according to some folks from the Clemson sports information office, which prompted ESPN announcer Len Elmore to ask – what foot injury?
So there you have it. Nothing should come easy tonight for the Yellow Jackets and that’s about what you’d expect deep into January and heading into the thick of the ACC schedule. This is Tech’s first home game since the Duke win and the Jackets could use something to prove to themselves they can get a little consistency going.
It’s no secret Derrick Favors has struggled in ACC play and tonight’s matchup inside with both Trevor Booker, the reigning co-ACC player of the week, and Jerai Grant, won’t make it easy on him. Booker scored 21 points in Clemson’s win over Carolina and 20 in their follow-up win over N.C. State.
Then you have Clemson’s press to deal with getting the ball up the court. But if you break it down coming up the court, the entry passes could come easier. Tech looked pretty good against Carolina’s pressure defense, of course Tech looked pretty good a lot of ways in that game on Saturday. The trick now is to bring that into a second consecutive game.
This is Tech’s third nationally ranked opponents in four games. And this is one team that will have some unhappy memories of getting upset by Tech in last year’s ACC tournament 86-81.
Tech would be well-served to get an early lead tonight, for obvious reasons, but here is one more: Clemson has not trailed in a game since the early-going against Boston College. That was three games ago. Not since the Eagles took a 2-0 lead on Clemson in the first minute of that game on Jan. 9 have the Tigers trailed in a game. Rattling them early, especially at home, could go a long way for Tech tonight.
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104 comments Add your comment
Technophobia
January 19th, 2010
8:58 pm
Jeez dude, just what IS your problem?
Flav-a-Flavors
January 19th, 2010
8:59 pm
What’s funny is that the game is going down to free throws. Hope I can improve on my 1-5 down the stretch.
Tech v. Tigers
January 19th, 2010
9:00 pm
“Clemson has never been able to hit FT’s. Where you been?”
And the fact that the have a better FT percentage than Tech, doesn’t help matters much
NoCoach Hewitt
January 19th, 2010
9:00 pm
Don’t know if I want them to win or lose, which the later might actually be the best thing for the school for obvious reasons….so a bit conflicted and its driving me nuts
Flav-a-Flavors
January 19th, 2010
9:00 pm
Tie game with 2 minutes.
Jacket13
January 19th, 2010
9:04 pm
How does Shumphert have this great game in Chapel HILL AND STINK THE PLACE UP TONIGHT!
Flav-a-Flavors
January 19th, 2010
9:06 pm
Down to the last shot thanks to a turnover. Look out for Booker!
NoCoach Hewitt
January 19th, 2010
9:06 pm
Probably woulda called a timeout there if we had more than one
Jacket13
January 19th, 2010
9:07 pm
What a DUM PLAY by Udofia! Hewitt usually calls timeouts all the time, what happened on that play? Udofia’s head is not in the game! He needs to be benched!
Technophobia
January 19th, 2010
9:07 pm
Udofia is the one that is really struggling.
Jacket13
January 19th, 2010
9:08 pm
Why is Gani on the bench again?
NoCoach Hewitt
January 19th, 2010
9:09 pm
Alright BLEWITT Call the TO here….lets end this game now I don’t know if I can take another 5 minutes
Flav-a-Flavors
January 19th, 2010
9:10 pm
Lob to me for the WIN!!!
Technophobia
January 19th, 2010
9:10 pm
But shoot it with enough time for a tip in please!
Jacket13
January 19th, 2010
9:10 pm
I cant believe I am about to say this, but maybe Mo Miller needs to sit Udofia down for a few games. He looks clueless!
NoCoach Hewitt
January 19th, 2010
9:10 pm
WOW thanks ref……what in the love of everything holy was Lawal on the bench??? anyone….anyone
Jacket13
January 19th, 2010
9:11 pm
Why is Gani Lawal not playing???????????
Flav-a-Flavors
January 19th, 2010
9:11 pm
Need both of the free throws.
Flav-a-Flavors
January 19th, 2010
9:11 pm
Zach is the man!
Jacket13
January 19th, 2010
9:12 pm
Lawal must have told Hewitt he was a terrible coach. If he did, he was telling the truth!
NoCoach Hewitt
January 19th, 2010
9:13 pm
NO FOUL!!!
Flav-a-Flavors
January 19th, 2010
9:13 pm
Carroll, you saw an intense game.
Technophobia
January 19th, 2010
9:14 pm
Jackets win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NoCoach Hewitt
January 19th, 2010
9:15 pm
Wow two in a row…flabergasted
Not Disappointed
January 19th, 2010
9:15 pm
Good Wiin Jackets!
Technophobia
January 19th, 2010
9:16 pm
Apparently none of you guys saw Alvin Jones and our point guard then (can’t think of his name off the top of my head). Those guys were really frustrating.
NoCoach Hewitt
January 19th, 2010
9:17 pm
Good win now they need to get some redemption from the first league game this weekend and get on a roll…..That will be HUGE!!!!
Technophobia
January 19th, 2010
9:17 pm
Payback vs. FSU would be huge.
KSEE
January 19th, 2010
9:18 pm
GOOD WIN!
GoJackets
January 19th, 2010
9:18 pm
Another nail biter. Good win Jackets. Nice game Favors, now learn to shoot free throws.
Flav-a-Flavors
January 19th, 2010
9:19 pm
Thanks man
NoCoach Hewitt
January 19th, 2010
9:19 pm
Techno —– must be talking about Tony Akins…I liked him he could shoot
Technophobia
January 19th, 2010
9:21 pm
Yeah, that’s it, Akins. Choked too much for my taste. Neither were coachable. Jones would pout if things didn’t go his way. Cremins wouldn’t yell at players and I saw Jones’ dad come down to the bench at halftime and chew his arse out royally. Still didn’t help.
NoCoach Hewitt
January 19th, 2010
9:25 pm
Yeah I agree on Alvin. He was a big baby who might start a game strong but once it got going the opponent would beat him mentally, and that would make his game go downhill rapidly the rest of the game. I thought Akins did what he could though. I mean I think that guy was like 5-9, so for his height he did okay. In fact I think played better than how Shumpert is progressing now. He turned the ball over a lot less which is my biggest pet peeve. Well that and lack of FT shooting and unfortuntely all Blewitt team’s are terrible at both.
Technophobia
January 19th, 2010
9:29 pm
Not 2004.
NoCoach Hewitt
January 19th, 2010
9:32 pm
that was the Final Four year…Akins and Jones were long gone
NoCoach Hewitt
January 19th, 2010
9:33 pm
nevermind i gotcha now….you were talking about the turnovers and FT shooting….my bad techno
Technophobia
January 19th, 2010
9:44 pm
Lack of a 3 point threat killed us the year after the final four.
Stinger Envy
January 19th, 2010
9:46 pm
((((30-24))))
((((73-66))))
((((56-50))))
When does Baseball seaon start?
Buzzed Driving
January 19th, 2010
9:51 pm
I liked the defensive intensity of the last two games. I like the sharp passes. Transition game is looking good. I see shades of 2005. Gani and Favors may equal a Jarrett Jack.
A lot of this game was ugly but I’ll take the win.
-All three timeouts in the second half resulted in zero points.
-Shumpert needs to play more aggressive like the UNC game.
-I am seeing some coaching in these players
-If recruiting all Micky D all americans is what Hewitt has to do to win, then let’s get 2 or 3 all americans every year.
Buzzed Driving
January 19th, 2010
9:52 pm
…also, I hate how the last two teams have taken the lead with a minute to go. This team has to learn to put them away.
Technophobia
January 19th, 2010
9:57 pm
I saw no problems on the D. Offense still loses composure at times but at least we’re winning a few. So many of our losses last year were close. We’d play a close game but you knew we’d blow it and they did too. A little confidence can go a long way when so many games go down to the final 2 minutes.
Technophobia
January 19th, 2010
9:59 pm
Buzzed, except for Lethal Weapon 3 there weren’t many Tech teams that blew people out. Pretty hard to do in the ACC unless you’re Duke, or NC in a good year.
the good word
January 19th, 2010
10:44 pm
u came through Jackets, that’s what matters!!
GREAT game
Carroll Rogers
January 19th, 2010
11:08 pm
i did see an intense game, Flav-a-Flavors. Bonus points on the “handle.” I like.
By the way, that was the first time Tech has won back-to-back games against ranked opponents since Tech beat Kansas and Oklahoma State in the 2004 Final Four run.
Hewitt on Favors, for you perusal:
“I think for the first time I saw a kid who was ready for the physical play, knew how to get open, and knew how to get the basketball,” Hewitt said.
And Favors on Favors:
“I think I’m finally getting adjusted to the college game,” Favors said. “In the ACC everybody is strong so you have to put it upon yourself to get some extra (weight) lifting in, and while you’re in your room, doing pushups.”
LOST to UGA 66-73.
January 20th, 2010
12:50 am
Dead in here. Know why ?
Because Paul Hewitt is 4-6 vs. UGA.
Because Paul Hewitt has an Academic Progress Rate of 914.
Because Paul Hewitt NCAA PROBATION limited to only 11 Scholarships.
Because Paul Hewitt 66-73 vs UGA again this year, as always.
Because Georgia tek 50-56 Losers to UGA women’s basketball.
Because APR UGA women also higher than Georgia tek.
Because APR UGA Football players higher than Georgia tek.
And, because 24-30 while you played 6 non-bowl teams LOST 3.
Jacketman
January 20th, 2010
5:53 am
Good win Jackets! Good defense. Work on free throws.
Bandwagon
January 20th, 2010
6:24 am
Oh that was ugly but you have to win these games. Now if they could only start winning them in the 3rd quarter.
Give em a break they are a young team full of talent but playing in a nasty league. They have shown they can win games but are still light years away from where they can be. I like Favor’s quote, it shows that he gets what he is into at this level. It’s starting to show in his game.
“I think I’m finally getting adjusted to the college game,” Favors said. “In the ACC everybody is strong so you have to put it upon yourself to get some extra [weight] lifting in, and while you’re in your room, doing pushups.”
If the other players are taking this approach then the future looks bright.
mowreck
January 20th, 2010
7:38 am
Good thing the game ended when it did, because scrapping for the ball in the last 3 seconds, one of our guys was laying on the floor with the ball trying to call time out … and we didn’t have any left. At least it appeared that way to me.
Paul Hewiitt Fan Club
January 20th, 2010
7:59 am
Doesn’t matter that we beat Duke.
Doesn’t matter that we beat UNC.
Doesn’t matter that we beat Clemson.
What matters is we lost to Mark Fox’s Dawgs – I still can’t believe it.