UGA wins a shocker, but should we really be so shocked?
Tech's Paul Hewitt was brought low in Athens yet again. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
ATHENS – There’s a good team in there somewhere. Maybe it’ll show itself Saturday when Duke comes to Atlanta. It needs to show up soon. We’re into January now, and Georgia Tech still acts as if it’s just another collegiate aggregation. It could, and should, be much more.
“This team still has a pretty high ceiling,” Paul Hewitt said Tuesday night. He said this moments after his tall and talented team had run face-first into a closing door.
The Jackets came to Stegeman Coliseum to play a game not many folks watched — another Tech team was busy elsewhere — and for that Hewitt can be grateful. Tech fans, as we know, have seen it all before. But here, for late tuners-in, is a recap:
Once again the Jackets allowed a lesser opponent to dictate tempo. Once again Tech seemed determined to match every basket with a turnover. Once again it lost.
Yes, yes. We must credit Georgia at the same time we castigate Tech. The Bulldogs have one player (Trey Thompkins) who would make the Jackets’ 10-man rotation. Mark Fox is doing brilliant things with this undermanned team. And Hewitt … well, he’s not looking so brilliant.
Three days ago Georgia lost to Missouri by 28 points. On Tuesday it beat Tech and was the better team throughout. You kept waiting, as is always the case with the Jackets, for talent to have its way, but talent, as is often the case with these Jackets, meant little without direction.
Tech’s best play was an offensive rebound — it had 19 of those and 18 second-chance points. It didn’t make a trey until the game’s 33rd minute. Its famous freshman Derrick Favors finished with more turnovers (five) and fouls (four) than baskets (three). I hate to keep harping on coaching — really I do — but if you’re ranked 20th in the land and you can’t handle the team picked to finish last in the SEC East, what does that say about the man at the top?
It wasn’t as if the Stegasaurus took on the charged ambience of Cameron Indoor Stadium. The place was barely half-full. But Tech allowed Georgia to become the aggressor early, managing but 12 points in the first 11 minutes. You can’t do that on the road. You have to hit the other guy harder sooner. Tech did nothing but counterpunch.
The Jackets finished with 66 points. With their size and speed, they should be playing games in the 80s. But they don’t know how to press the issue without throwing the ball away. (They finished with 20 turnovers against 23 baskets and eight assists.) They’re young on the perimeter, sure. But they act even younger.
In the end it came down to Georgia making the assertive plays and the Jackets being unable to guard Ricky McPhee, who’s listed as 6-foot-1. When in doubt, the Bulldogs put the ball on the floor and made something happen in the lane. Thompkins drove for a huge hoop at the shot-clock horn, and McPhee, of all people, shook free down the lane for an underhand banker to clinch it.
Tech, by way of contrast, did its stand-around thing. When it got the ball low to Gani Lawal, it was OK. (He had 21 of the Jackets’ 66 points.) When it couldn’t, it was at sea. And that, sad to say, is the impression Tech has left after 14 games. It has won 11 times, but when put to the test by Florida State and now Georgia it failed. FSU is a decent-enough team. Georgia still has miles to go before it can lay claim to decency.
But say this for the Bulldogs: They know who they are and how they have to play, and they keep doing it. “We have limitations,” Fox said, “but we know what they are.” Contrast this with Tech, which has assets almost everywhere but doesn’t seem to know where to turn.
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451 comments Add your comment
Dark days ahead
January 5th, 2010
11:48 pm
Tech sucks at everything. UGA owns you
GATA RUSS
January 5th, 2010
11:48 pm
Triple play. 1 Dawgs win 2 Tech wrecked wet dreams.
Don’t worry the AJC says PJ will make all the proper adjustments.
Furman never said when.
Who knew. Shrevport was beter than Miami and had 2 better teams.
Jaded Jacket
January 5th, 2010
11:48 pm
Hewitt couldn’t win if the other team stayed on the bench.
2043 will come soon
January 5th, 2010
11:49 pm
Not to worry Trade-Schoolers, Tech football will rise again to show up in a major bowl in the year 2043, only to be snuffed out by a 2nd rate football team, and will probably continue to lose to a sorry b-ball program @ the football school 60 miles away from North Avenue
col foot
January 5th, 2010
11:50 pm
30-24…73-66, beat down in Orange Bowl…SWEET, DON’T IT HURT SO BAD!! ha,ha,ha
heeldawg
January 5th, 2010
11:51 pm
Just a great night. I’ll end it at that.
The Ole Ball Coach
January 5th, 2010
11:52 pm
Tech Out foxed by UGA…lol
Tom
January 5th, 2010
11:53 pm
Hewitt has to go…I have had it with under performing teams. T
bigdawg88
January 5th, 2010
11:54 pm
Man, you guys need to lay off Bradley. Dude was man enough to tell Fox to his face he made a mistake. That’s a real man. May not agree with you (what fun would that be anyway!), but you do have my respect dude!
You probably need to start writing Hewitt’s (coaching) obits now…
GO DAWGS!!!!
Lacey
January 5th, 2010
11:54 pm
Can you say bad day for Tech????? UGA wins in basketball and Iowa wins Orange Bowl! UGA beat Tech in football (supposedly their best team yet!), women’s basketball, and tonight men’s basketball!!!
Go Dawgs!
JJ
January 5th, 2010
11:55 pm
Mark – Thompkins not only would crack Tech’s rotation, he would start and be their best player. He’s light years ahead of Favors right now and is probably a better pro prospect as well. Lawal had a good night, but I saw him thumping his own chest more than doing what it takes to help his sorry coach get a win.
Herschel Walker
January 5th, 2010
11:56 pm
Nice football game tonight Nerds. And are stinking basketball team is better than yours too. My God, would you look at the Oranges falling from the sky…
DirtyDawg
January 5th, 2010
11:57 pm
There are certainly several dates over the decades that I have declared as ‘Glorious’ for UGA – we all can name ‘em – but this one, 1/5/2010, has to go down as one more. For the FoxDogs to have played the vaunted JallerYackets off the court and then for that team from Iowa to have beaten that same JallerYacket football team – and their genius coach PJ – on a cold day in Miami (hell, it was warmer than that in Shreveport), was be-you-tee-full. Of course it won’t shut ‘em up, but now their crap will just be laughable.
As I said back on the last Saturday in November – it’s a pisser ain’t it boys, to know that all your arrogance and mouthin’ off has resulted in nothing but a long run for a short slide – in other words, you ain’t much and everybody knows it.
DawgTired
January 5th, 2010
11:58 pm
Tech is an absolute embarrassment to the state. Their football team is a joke, losing their 5th bowl game in a row. They can’t even beat a horrible UGA football team without their best player, and their basketball team is a walking punchline.
Nick
January 5th, 2010
11:58 pm
HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH 24-14
You not only embarrass yourselves but you embarrass the entire state of Georgia and the South. Why don’t you move your entire facilities to Guam? They don’t know enough about football to know how bad ya’ll suck and you won’t even have to change your ugly assed helmets. Guam Tech, yeah sounds about right.
J
January 5th, 2010
11:59 pm
Let’s examine this: GT – McDonald’s All-American players on their roster. UGA – 6 scholarship players on roster of which only one is a legitimate player. GT – Coach Paul Hewett. Need I say more.
Johnny Test
January 5th, 2010
11:59 pm
30 to 24…… 73 to 66….. 24 to 14….. 5th bowl loss in a row…… CPJ is 0 and 2 in bowl games…. Glad it hurts so bad.
oldHoopDogFan
January 5th, 2010
11:59 pm
Mark Fox is a great hire. As usual, Bradley screws it up. As a former coach once told me, “Bradley – there’s something not right about him.”
Nick
January 5th, 2010
11:59 pm
And mark my words, by the end of the football season 2010, all you Techerheads will be calling for Paul Johnson’s head!
Dark days ahead
January 6th, 2010
12:00 am
The brief moment of “glory” is over at the trade school. They are stuck with an overrated coach that can’t coach his way out of a locked room with the key in hand. Their basketball team is God awful and UGA will surely destroy them yet again on the diamond. Nice to see things back to normal
Johnny Test
January 6th, 2010
12:00 am
Mark Fox for defensive coordinator
Just the Facts.....
January 6th, 2010
12:00 am
Down goe Tech, Down goes Tech! Wait in Football, and Basketball? Oh in Miami too? STFU Tech Fans ! You have nothing to say.
Coastal Dawg
January 6th, 2010
12:00 am
Wow, Tech, what a showing!
Great job by Coach Fox and the Hounds!
Magnificent offensive display by the offensive CPJ. !st half: 32 yard and 1 first down.
7 offensive points all night.
Dwyer should go pro. He’s not going to get any smarter. Ran the ball back into the endzone from the 15 barely escaping a safety and the announcers praising him for avoiding the safety????
UGA had about 4 days to get ready for that offense. Scary what will happen when we get a real defensive coach.
Go Dawgs!
DantheDawgFan
January 6th, 2010
12:00 am
NERDS LOSE! NERDS LOSE! NERDS LOSE!!!
Nerds lose in basketball and football on the same night. This is a great day for America!
DantheDawgFan
January 6th, 2010
12:01 am
NERDS LOSE! NERDS LOSE! NERDS LOSE!!!
Nerds lose in basketball and football on the same night. This is a great day for America\
CANT STOP LAUGHING!!!
January 6th, 2010
12:02 am
What a beautiful night!!!! The tool nation is exposed, AS USUAL, across the board!!!!
CANT STOP LAUGHING!!!
January 6th, 2010
12:03 am
Tech sucks at everything!!!
Tool nation is crying!!!
January 6th, 2010
12:04 am
What an utter joke and failure the athletics are at the trade school. But hey, at least they have their overrated rankings to fall back on!! LOL!!!
Fed Up Jacket
January 6th, 2010
12:05 am
I don’t know who to castigate more – Braine for giving him the contract or Hewitt for making him look so stupid in the process.
fan
January 6th, 2010
12:06 am
bad night to be a tech fan, great if your a dawg fan. 2 for 2 of the big three. 30-24 and 73-66. suck it nerds!!!!!!!!! WE RUN THIS STATE!!!!!!!!!!!
lets the excuses roll!!!
January 6th, 2010
12:06 am
I already heard one biotch Tech fan try and convince everyone that it was simply “too cold” for them down there to play good!! We all laughed our arses off at him and he cried his way out of the bar!!!
Preston
January 6th, 2010
12:07 am
This is the first time i’ve EVER been on a tech blog and all you geeks need to know you deserve every bit of it. The triple option will NEVER win a big game! It’s a high school system that will never work in the big show. Be glad you’re in the ACC because it’s a WEAK football conference. That’s the only reason you were in a BCS bowl in the first place. BTW, UGA beat your asses in BB too. Great night for tech! Loving every minute of it! “We’re a ramblin’ wreck from Georgia tech and and we’re great custodial engineers!” LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! YOU SUCK!!!
fan
January 6th, 2010
12:07 am
WE RUN THIS STATE!!! football check. basketball check. now to baseball.
way to go Braine!!
January 6th, 2010
12:08 am
Thank you soooooooooooo much for signing Johnson and Hewitt to ridiculously long contracts!!!
flagboy?
January 6th, 2010
12:09 am
Congrats to Coach Fox and the Dawgs on beating tech!
2-2 so far this year!
keep it up!
way to go Braine!!
January 6th, 2010
12:09 am
Thank you sooooooooooo much for signing ridiculously long contracts to two of the most overrated coaches I’ve ever seen!!!
fan
January 6th, 2010
12:10 am
JUST LIKE FOOTBALL, JUST LIKE FOOTBALL, JUST LIKE FOOTBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
eric
January 6th, 2010
12:10 am
Hey tools, Richt won his BCS game in his second year. Just an fyi
FIRE Johnson
January 6th, 2010
12:11 am
I’ve never been so embarrassed in my life. Now that all of Gailey’s talent is leaving us, I suspect it’s going to be a loooooooooooong season next year
5tH IN A ROW!!!
January 6th, 2010
12:12 am
Thanks for showing the world what it means to be a loser at the Joke by Coke!!! LOL!!!
robodawg
January 6th, 2010
12:12 am
Wish this game was more hyped in the state. Such as, broadcast on ABC instead of buried on CSS (Comcast subscribers only?). I listened on the radio and had the Orange Bowl on TV.
It’s a game I look forward to every year. Always hard fought and typically closer than you would expect.
ACC = pushover chumps!
January 6th, 2010
12:14 am
Wow, I thought CPJ was supposed to be the second coming of Christ? He can’t even win a bowl game
Preston
January 6th, 2010
12:14 am
What’s wrong Mark? Let me speak my mind (for once) on a tech blog. They do it all the time on UGA blogs. I guess you consider them a little too sensitive. Makes sense. That’s OK. My last post (that you decided not to appear) will be on the next UGA blog where all the geeks troll anyway.
Fed Up Jacket
January 6th, 2010
12:14 am
No way I give ‘em another cent until they dump Hewitt. No need to throw good money after bad…
wow
January 6th, 2010
12:15 am
Tech gets thrashed by UGA in hoops and embarrassed on the national stage by the white boys from Iowa, all in the same night!!
JazzChaz
January 6th, 2010
12:16 am
There’s a new coach in our future hopefully. No excuse to field a team with no playmakers. We’ve got two big men who’ll probably be in the NBA next year, yet, Hewett can’t seem to design plays to get the ball inside…excuse me, I meant to say, Hewitt can’t design plays period!
We’ve lost to three inferior teams(talentwise) already this year… We are sooooooo sick of this coach, yet, he’s a got a perpetual six year rolling contact. The jerk AD Dave Braine(less) gave Hewitt that contact, then promptly retired for medical reasons….OK I’ve said enough!
3 minutes ago ·
ward
January 6th, 2010
12:16 am
Please fire Hewitt. He is a racist loser. He is more concerned with his role atop the black coaches association than he is his Tech duties. He recruits every 3 – 4 years when he feels his job is on the line. Make the move now and can this loser. I haven’t been to a Tech bball game in 3 years and won’t go back until this clown is removed.
wake up call
January 6th, 2010
12:17 am
Face it tools, you have two of the most overrated coaches in their respective sports. And I love every second of it
BullDawg Rick
January 6th, 2010
12:18 am
How Bout Them Dawgs!!!
Spanked UGA Yech’s gridiron best in 19 years..
Own Yech on the hardwood in the Classic City too..
KARMA
January 6th, 2010
12:18 am
all those dirty a$$ chop blocks were going to catch up with you sooner or later. Learn to play like men instead of gutless cowards