Live from Tech: Going for a sweep of the reigning champ
The Jackets ready for the men of Roy Williams. (Extremely evocative photo by Mark Bradley)
How strange is this? For Georgia Tech, a home date against the defending NCAA champ has become one of two “should-win” games remaining. (The other involves Boston College.) Most seasons you’re happy — nay, ecstatic – with a split against North Carolina. These Jackets need to beat Carolina just to safeguard what seems to be an invitation to the Big Dance.
As noted yesterday, Tech is in decent shape for a team that has lost three of four and is 5-6 in its conference. But losing tonight could grease the chute toward the no-account NIT. The Jackets still have to go to Maryland and to Clemson, and they’ve got Virginia Tech, which is 20-4, here in the regular-season finale. With Tech’s RPI (29th) and strength of schedule (12th), a 7-9 ACC record would probably be enough. But 6-10 might not.
The good news: The Heels stink. They’ve lost seven of nine, and the victories were against North Carolina State, which is even worse than UNC-Chapel Hill. And Carolina will be missing its most talented man — forward Ed Davis broke his wrist in a loss against Duke last week and is probably done for the year. (And possibly for his undergraduate career. He was projected as a lottery pick not so long ago.)
Fun fact: If Carolina, which is 14-11, loses tonight, Roy Williams will have suffered a 12th loss for only the second time in 22 seasons as a head coach. His first Kansas team, inherited from the deserter Larry Brown, finished 19-12. These Heels will finish a lot worse than those Jayhawks, a realization that led Ol’ Roy, regrettably, to liken his team’s losing to the plight of Haitians. (Williams has since apologized.)
There’s so much about this game that feels bizarre. It’s the first time since March 1, 2003, that Tech has faced an unranked Carolina. (Williams was still at KU then, and Matt Doherty was about to be deposed.) The Jackets are unranked — they disappeared from the major polls yesterday — but are 6 1/2-point favorites. But I’m guessing there’ll be a goodly complement of folks wearing baby blue at the Thrillerdome nonetheless. Just wondering how many Tech fans show.
And with that, I’ll be happy to take your questions, your comments and your money. (Just kidding about the latter.) I’ll be here until the final horn, which stands to come a bit after 11 p.m. Join me, won’t you?
P.S. If you haven’t participated in today’s burning discussion — who’s having the better season, Tech or Georgia? – please avail yourself of the opportunity. We’ll hold your place in line.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
424 comments Add your comment
drew
February 16th, 2010
10:42 pm
I think Udofia will be just fine…give him some time.
louisville slugger
February 16th, 2010
10:42 pm
OK, kids are in bed. Funny story; I’m watching the Duke-Tech game with my 15-year-old daughter, and she says, “the Duke coach looks like Mr. Incredible’s boss at the insurance company”. I laughed out loud, then realized that CPH looks like Frozone. Spooky…
NoCoach Blewitt
February 16th, 2010
10:43 pm
Miller, Oliver, Rice, favors and Lawal ……..have two sets of inside outside game with oliver and favors and on other side of court rice and lawal. how could you defend that??? Is this rocket science
Mark Bradley
February 16th, 2010
10:43 pm
With the exception of some stall games — and the Heels had some of those, as we know — has Carolina ever had just nine baskets in 28 minutes?
cdubb
February 16th, 2010
10:43 pm
if we could hit from the strip we would be up by 30 plus
Goldenrod
February 16th, 2010
10:43 pm
Still amazes me we lost 73-66 to Mark Fox’s Dogs but yet we sweep the Tar Heels.
Mark Bradley
February 16th, 2010
10:44 pm
Nineteen turnovers for the Heels.
NoCoach Blewitt
February 16th, 2010
10:45 pm
If you hate rat face (coach K) as much as I do you will absolutely love this clip …..possible best answer ever
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aeCIrGywIo
Mark Bradley
February 16th, 2010
10:45 pm
Hewitt down to one timeout. In a 27-point game. With 10:39 left. Unbelievable.
The Dude
February 16th, 2010
10:46 pm
MB, are you referring to the “Four Corners” offense developed by Santa Clara, that Dean Smith stole and renamed “The North Carolina”??
Mark Bradley
February 16th, 2010
10:46 pm
Yes I am, Dude.
NoCoach Blewitt
February 16th, 2010
10:46 pm
Mark …..you act as if you are surprised by this …just Groundhog Day AGAIN
louisville slugger
February 16th, 2010
10:47 pm
Good link, NCB!!
NoCoach Blewitt
February 16th, 2010
10:48 pm
again where was MOE MILLER this whole season???? Would have beat UVA, FSU both times, Miami, UGAy
Mark Bradley
February 16th, 2010
10:48 pm
Carolina’s 10th hoop comes with 9:15 to play.
The Dude
February 16th, 2010
10:49 pm
Vindication for my father, MB. Thank you.
David
February 16th, 2010
10:50 pm
You know Gani really sucks at the foul line, unbelievable.
NoCoach Blewitt
February 16th, 2010
10:50 pm
Look he can even throw an In Bounds pass!!!! OUTSTANDING
wardo
February 16th, 2010
10:51 pm
Favors looks good…against the high school teams on the schedule. UNC hasn’t boxed out all night.
NoCoach Blewitt
February 16th, 2010
10:51 pm
How you guarantee victory against Hewitt coached team??? PRESS and FOUL baby
Mark Bradley
February 16th, 2010
10:52 pm
Tech has missed 12 of 22 FTs.
louisville slugger
February 16th, 2010
10:53 pm
Miss. St. by one over UK, 5:49 left
SamInAtlanta
February 16th, 2010
10:53 pm
Carolina is shooting23% for the game
NoCoach Blewitt
February 16th, 2010
10:53 pm
half my point exactly mark
Mark Bradley
February 16th, 2010
10:55 pm
Carolina has cut it to 21. And Hewitt’s almost out of timeouts.
NoCoach Blewitt
February 16th, 2010
10:56 pm
Wonder who is going to write the article full of praise and foretelling greatness in the tourney tomorrow after tonight
Jo Bling
February 16th, 2010
10:56 pm
Mark – not sure if you can get Miss. St. – Kentucky on that computer of yours but the Bulldogs are up three with 4:30 to play. Maybe you can switch over when Hewitt calls his last timeout.
NoCoach Blewitt
February 16th, 2010
10:58 pm
Moe AGAIN ……making up for Blewitt taking all that time away from him
NoCoach Blewitt
February 16th, 2010
10:59 pm
Watching Miller should be all the proof one needs to know how good the coach is
The Dude
February 16th, 2010
10:59 pm
How do you not learn how to set a screen in college basketball?
NoCoach Blewitt
February 16th, 2010
11:00 pm
Did they just ask if Tech can go on road and beat an upper echelon team????? LOL they obviously failed to do their homework
louisville slugger
February 16th, 2010
11:02 pm
Miss. St. by 7, 3:00 left!
David
February 16th, 2010
11:03 pm
I think Iman is playing himself right out of the lineup,, He looks disconnected. Thank god Carolina sucks, this game is a gift for the Yellow Jackets
Jo Bling
February 16th, 2010
11:06 pm
As bad as Carolina has looked, let’s not forget that coming into this game Tech was exactly one spot ahead of the Heels in the ACC standings.
wardo
February 16th, 2010
11:06 pm
Uncle Hewey loves Chumpert. He ain’t going anywhere.
wardo
February 16th, 2010
11:07 pm
I see that Lance Storrs is still on the team
David
February 16th, 2010
11:07 pm
Wow the vibe is nowhere to be found at AMC, it’s sad… you could here a pin drop and that’s with a double digit lead!
NoCoach Blewitt
February 16th, 2010
11:08 pm
Guys this is the 2nd best game Chumpert has ever had….why??? He has only shot the ball once ….Keep it up Iman
louisville slugger
February 16th, 2010
11:09 pm
MSU -UK, tied at 67-all, 30 seconds left, MSU ball.
ND
February 16th, 2010
11:11 pm
Growing up in North Carolina no one likes when GT beats the Tarholes more than I do. But make no mistake, I fully expect GT to go to College Park and look like the Holes did tonite. It wasn’t like GT looked all that impressive tonite anyway. Fire Blewitt!
Mark Bradley
February 16th, 2010
11:11 pm
Tech wins by 17. Carolina scores 51 points, its lowest total under Ol’ Roy.
Amazingly enough, Tech only finished with six more baskets than the Heels, who went on a relative tear once they got down 28.
And Tech finished with more turnovers (20 to 19). It was an impressive performance in many respects, but Carolina is no measuring stick this season.
NoCoach Blewitt
February 16th, 2010
11:12 pm
Well I hope they enjoy this cuz its back on the road ……and road to Blewitt spells L-O-S-S!!!!!!
Mark Bradley
February 16th, 2010
11:12 pm
It’s a big win in the sense it keeps Tech in position to finish 8-8 in the league just by winning at home.
louisville slugger
February 16th, 2010
11:13 pm
OK, I missed my turnover prediction by 2, my bad…
Technophobia
February 16th, 2010
11:13 pm
The effort in the first half was MUCH better though Mark. It all starts there. Against NC State they looked like they’d been out till 5 am.
Mark Bradley
February 16th, 2010
11:14 pm
It will interesting to see if Shumpert starts at Maryland. I’m guessing he will. Hewitt will say fouls took him out of this game. And they did. But still — zero points, four assists.
Technophobia
February 16th, 2010
11:14 pm
No coach, (aka eeyore) can’t you find ANYTHING positive to say?
Mark Bradley
February 16th, 2010
11:15 pm
Headed upstairs for postgame festivities. Will watch and report.
SamInAtlanta
February 16th, 2010
11:16 pm
I would like to see Oliver/Rice/Miller start
Pi$$onaDawg
February 16th, 2010
11:17 pm
TECH SUX but thank GOD UNC is so bad they can’t even SUCK.