Live from G-Tech vs. V-Tech: It’s NOT an elimination game
Here's what it's all about, folks. Eight days until the invitations are extended. (Bracket courtesy of ESPN.com)
There are those who’ll disagree, but I don’t believe Georgia Tech would be in dire straits, Dance-wise, if it loses today. As I’ve mentioned a time or two, I’m fairly certain the Yellow Jackets can finish 7-9 in regular-season ACC play and still make the field of 65 on the strength of their schedule and RPI. And this will sound strange, but here goes:
G-Tech, which will finish behind Virginia Tech in the ACC, is in better shape than the Hokies. If V-Tech loses here today, it’s in real trouble. If G-Tech loses, it’s in less.
At this moment, Joe Lunardi of ESPN.com lists G-Tech as a No. 10 seed in his updated Bracketology and V-Tech as a No. 11. Yes, the Hokies are 9-6 in the conference to the Jackets’ 7-8, but the NCAA committee cares less about standings than it does about SOS and RPI. And there’s your difference: V-Tech has an RPI of 55 and a SOS of 155; G-Tech has an RPI of 35 and an SOS of 18.
Put simply, V-Tech needs to beat somebody with a good RPI these next eight days to make the field. G-Tech needs only to win another game — and that victory can come either today or in Greensboro next Thursday — to make sure. And even if it loses both, G-Tech could still be invited to the only tournament that matters.
Maybe you shrugged when G-Tech beat Siena on Dec. 2, but the Saints have an RPI of 40. V-Tech, by way of contrast, played a non-conference schedule that included Brown, UNC Greensboro, Campbell, Delaware, Iowa (RPI of 195), Georgia (RPI of 95), VMI, Penn State, Charleston Southern, Maryland-Baltimore County, Longwood, Seton Hall (RPI of 56) and North Carolina Central. The Hokies did play Temple (RPI of 15) but lost.
And it isn’t as if Virginia Tech hasn’t been warned. It was snubbed 2008 after going 9-7 in the ACC because it played a weak non-conference slate. That came after coach Seth Greenberg contended, after a last-second loss to North Carolina in the ACC semis, that anyone who didn’t consider his Hokies an NCAA tournament team was “certifiably insane.”
But on every Selection Sunday, the chairman of that year’s committee tells Jim Nantz and Billy Packer the same thing: The committee’s advice is to go out and play someone good. G-Tech scheduled better than V-Tech. That’s why, eight days from Selection Sunday, GT is better situated than VPI.
With that, I’d be happy — nay, thrilled — to accept any and all questions, comments and predictions on tomorrow night’s Academy Awards. I’ll be here until we’re done with Tech-versus-Tech, and I’d be happy — nay, thrilled — if you’d join me. And yet again I thank you in advance.
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489 comments Add your comment
louisville slugger
March 6th, 2010
4:47 pm
MB, does it feel as chippy as it looks? Feels like a brawl is in the future…
Tom
March 6th, 2010
4:47 pm
Update
VT 59% GT 37%.
Jacket in NC
March 6th, 2010
4:48 pm
At least they finally guarded a 3
Tom
March 6th, 2010
4:49 pm
89% from behind the arc for VT! What great perimeter defense by the jackets!!
Mark Bradley
March 6th, 2010
4:49 pm
Hokies by six at halftime. Not sure they can keep shooting like this.
But you remember how Hewitt was bragging about his D on Twitter? Clemson had 44 points in the first half and 47 in the second on Tuesday. VPI has 45.
Tech Forever
March 6th, 2010
4:49 pm
The good news is down the stretch Tech has gotten their shooting percentage up to 37% from 33%. Bad news is VT has gone from 55% to 59%.
Tom
March 6th, 2010
4:50 pm
Oh I forgot the last ugly 3. It’s now 80%. LOL
Ashley
March 6th, 2010
4:50 pm
I believe D-Rad will put together the money needed to get rid of Hewitt. This is the worst-coached team in the ACC, and interest in the program is dying. In a couple of years, we won’t be able to afford not to fire him anyway.
Tech Forever
March 6th, 2010
4:51 pm
Guys!!!!! Paul Hewitt is not going anywhere. It’s a moot pointless discussion.
Keep it up GT
March 6th, 2010
4:51 pm
Only down by 6? You can do “better” than that!
Mark Bradley
March 6th, 2010
4:51 pm
Let’s also note that VT’s No. 2 scorer — Dorenzo Hudson — is out due to injury.
Tom
March 6th, 2010
4:51 pm
How about this stat. No VT player other than Delaney has missed more than one shot. And Delaney is still 5-11. Not bad. Favors with 6 points!! They sure are using him!
AlabamaRamblinwreck
March 6th, 2010
4:52 pm
Yeah, it’s like: “let them shoot from the outside. they won’t make it”, but they always do. Why can these guys not be smart enough to see that they must not leave guys open long???????? Is it because Hewitt teaches them that they should double on penetration and leave 3 point shooters? If not, why does it keep happening?
Resign or Resign?
March 6th, 2010
4:52 pm
MB:
Ignoring the buyout; do you think Hewitt DESERVES to be fired? Does anyone respect him or refer to him as a “genius” anymore?
Tom
March 6th, 2010
4:53 pm
The only reason this game is 6 points is we’ve made 7-9 free throws–wow and we’ve taken 7 more shots. Mark what kind of 2nd half do you expect? I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s like the clemson game.
Sonny Clusters
March 6th, 2010
4:54 pm
Is this really live?
AlabamaRamblinwreck
March 6th, 2010
4:54 pm
I’m 46 years old, but if you leave me open from the 3 point line, more times than not, I will make it. The shot is not hard for good shooters, especially left wide open!!!!! What is wrong with these guys? Why can’t Hewitt learn from experience????
Paul in RDU
March 6th, 2010
4:54 pm
VT is controlling the pace of the game – something they seem to have done on the last few trips to AMC. If GT doesn’t start stopping the 3 it’s going to be a tough day
Tech Forever
March 6th, 2010
4:56 pm
Resign or Resign? Hewitt SHOULD have been let go after the ‘08-’09 season. But the school can only absorb one big money high profile coaching change at a time.
StraightJacket
March 6th, 2010
4:58 pm
Avatar. OH WAIT! …. You wanted BASKETBALL talk?
Somebody OTHER THAN a freshman (Rice or Oliver) needs to be guarding Delaney. Maybe Shump or Bell should draw that duty. Help defense on the penetration has been slower than usual.
Defense should be better in the 2nd half as we can be more aggressive. Not too many guys have even so many as 2 fouls.
-SJ
Mark Bradley
March 6th, 2010
4:58 pm
VT has outscored GT 16-12 in the lane. GT has been outscored 14-0 on the break.
Mark Bradley
March 6th, 2010
4:59 pm
As for the 3-pointers: They’re keeping the Jackets in it. They have six treys against seven two-point hoops.
Resign or Resign?
March 6th, 2010
4:59 pm
TF:
Who was the other big coaching change after the ‘09 season? Gailey was gone the year before!
Mark Bradley
March 6th, 2010
5:00 pm
Do you want me to make a prediction?
Jacket in NC
March 6th, 2010
5:00 pm
I look for the refs to start calling a tighter game. We will see who adjusts best
RaleighJacket
March 6th, 2010
5:00 pm
Mark, what would be required to change this rolling contract with CPH? Is there anything we can do to change the contract to something reasonable other than pay him $7M?
Mark Bradley
March 6th, 2010
5:01 pm
The contract can’t be changed, Raleigh. That’s why it’s a contract.
Paul in RDU
March 6th, 2010
5:01 pm
Shumpert has taken as many shots (6) as Lawal and Favors combined – a slight problem there!
AlabamaRamblinwreck
March 6th, 2010
5:02 pm
Sure, Mark. Make one. I will make a few.
We miss a lot of free throws, continue to play poor perimeter D, and have trouble with in-bounds plays the rest of the way. Oh yeah, and if someone is playing well, Hewitt will sub for him.
Resign or Resign?
March 6th, 2010
5:02 pm
MB:
A prediction about the Oscars, Hewitt or this game?
Ashley
March 6th, 2010
5:02 pm
Tech Forever,
People used to say the same thing about Chan. Dave Braineless is not AD anymore. One of the explicit reasons Radakovich gave for firing Gailey was that we needed to generate some excitement about the program again. They’re planning a complete renovation of AMC; you can’t do that when you have a coach turning your program into roadkill.
Mark Bradley
March 6th, 2010
5:02 pm
Here’s my prediction: Tech wins.
AlabamaRamblinwreck
March 6th, 2010
5:03 pm
Well, Mark. If that prediction is correct, this game will get extremely ugly and turn into a streetball game.
Resign or Resign?
March 6th, 2010
5:04 pm
NOW we KNOW Tech will lose; the famous Bradley curse!!
Mark Bradley
March 6th, 2010
5:04 pm
Please note: There are two Techs playing. I’m pretty sure one will prevail.
Tom
March 6th, 2010
5:04 pm
Here’s a prediction. VT continues to make shots. Because tech is at home, they won’t get blown out. But VT wins a close won with a buzzer beater just like the Md game.
Vt shoots 49%. Gt 39%. Vt wins 84-82
RaleighJacket
March 6th, 2010
5:05 pm
Well one thing that has to change in the 2nd half is the press. If we can’t get it out of Delaney’s hands, we need to take the press off. They are shooting 59% because they are getting dunks and layups off our press.
AlabamaRamblinwreck
March 6th, 2010
5:05 pm
Funny, Mark. But VPI&SU is not a “real Tech.”
Resign or Resign?
March 6th, 2010
5:05 pm
I thought AMC was referring to a theatre!! My bad!
Tech Forever
March 6th, 2010
5:05 pm
Resign or Resign? I never said Gailey was fired that same year. I’m saying that it takes multiple years for a school like Tech to absorb the financial hits big time coaching changes cause. Forget 2009…..part of the reason Tech can’t fire Hewitt after this season is because of the hiring of CPJ. There’s only so much money in the bank.
Jacket in NC
March 6th, 2010
5:05 pm
Heres a prediction
Jackets sqeeze into NCAAs. Lose in 2nd round
Losing season next year with no frontcourt
GT keeps Hewitt because of class coming in
Mark Bradley
March 6th, 2010
5:06 pm
Who says Hewitt can’t call a nice inbounds play? One pass and a layup.
AlabamaRamblinwreck
March 6th, 2010
5:07 pm
Favors WIDE OPEN on pick and roll. No one passes to him!! BAD COACHING
alan
March 6th, 2010
5:07 pm
gt isn’t going to the ncaa’s if they lose today with louisville and nd winnig
Benjamin
March 6th, 2010
5:07 pm
Derrick Favors needs to come back for more. He’s not ready.
That said, he’d be a moron to turn down high first-round money.
AlabamaRamblinwreck
March 6th, 2010
5:07 pm
That was a charge…unbelievable.
alan
March 6th, 2010
5:08 pm
gt won’t be in the ncaa tournament if they lose today with ul and nd winning.
Tech Forever
March 6th, 2010
5:08 pm
Ashley, Georgia Tech does NOT have the money right now to fire Paul Hewitt. Period. PLUS, DRad said “improvement” was necessary. Everyone is ticked that this teams plays terribly and has underachieved….but they’ve won a lot more than 2 ACC games too so there’s your “improvement.” Belive me, I’m sitting here watching Baylor dunk all over Texas wishing Scott Drew was in Atlanta coaching the Jackets….but it ain’t gonna happen after this season.
Resign or Resign?
March 6th, 2010
5:09 pm
Excellent point, NC. All we heard LAST YEAR during that disasterous season was how much better GT would be this year because Hewitt had Favors coming in this year and Lawal would be back! So much for talent w/o coaching!
Tom
March 6th, 2010
5:09 pm
What great defense!!