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
HugoStiglitz
March 6th, 2010
5:42 pm
This is embarrassing. Our guys knew this was an important game and they come out and play like this. The NCAA tournament is a reward for good play during the season. This team deserves no reward for playing like this.
Mark Bradley
March 6th, 2010
5:42 pm
GT is down 14 with 7:55 left.
Phil
March 6th, 2010
5:42 pm
Can our coach and players PLEASE show just the slightest heart and drive?
Tom
March 6th, 2010
5:42 pm
It’s good to see tech back to their old ways on free throws. 12-21. 57%. Nice!
Mark Bradley
March 6th, 2010
5:42 pm
Jackets have three timeouts remaining. So they’ve got that going.
Tom
March 6th, 2010
5:43 pm
Oh and VT 16-19
todd grantham
March 6th, 2010
5:43 pm
Mark, if Tech has a poor showing in the ACC and NCAA Tourneys do you think Coach Hewitt has landed on a bubble?
Tom
March 6th, 2010
5:44 pm
Famous Mark Bradley quote! No way VT can shoot 55% the rest of the game. They are shooting 58% with 7 minutes left.
AlabamaRamblinwreck
March 6th, 2010
5:44 pm
Bradley: I know you have been critical of Hewitt, but is it time to be brutally honest?
carrolltondawg
March 6th, 2010
5:45 pm
Mark just read some of the other comments… Dont listen to them, you dont need to be fired.
Butts Wagner
March 6th, 2010
5:45 pm
Oh and VT 16-19
GT has taken 14 more shots!!!, even with a -4 pt differential at the FT line, that’s not enough to be losing this game.
Phil
March 6th, 2010
5:45 pm
Let’s give CPH the space he needs to make the right decisions about his future.
todd grantham
March 6th, 2010
5:45 pm
Georgia and LSU 20 all at the half. 27% shooting for LSU 36% for Georgia. Poor.
Resign or Resign?
March 6th, 2010
5:45 pm
Butts:
All the “mock” NBA drafgts I have seen in the past week have Favors & Lawal as lottery picks.
Tom
March 6th, 2010
5:46 pm
Chump thinks he’s Kobe or Lebron. Man does he need someone to tell him he sucks.
Resign or Resign?
March 6th, 2010
5:46 pm
Excuse please: “drafts”
GT/Falcons fan
March 6th, 2010
5:46 pm
Down by 13 AT HOME with 6 left….how do u spell Hewitt?
Gimmeee an F gimmee Igimmee R gimmee E gimmee D…..lol
Tom
March 6th, 2010
5:47 pm
13 more shots for gt and losing by 13. Boy if that doesn’t say it all
Mark Bradley
March 6th, 2010
5:47 pm
This might be the stupidest thing I’ve ever written — and that’s going a ways — but I think GT will make a run. (Today.)
How long?
March 6th, 2010
5:47 pm
Where’s “m” and Greyhound?
Mark Bradley
March 6th, 2010
5:47 pm
Jeff Allen strips Gani Lawal 30 feet from the basket.
Tom
March 6th, 2010
5:48 pm
VT is shooting better at 3 pointers than GT at the free throw line!!
RaleighJacket
March 6th, 2010
5:48 pm
We can’t get a stop or when we do, we can’t convert on the other end. Unbelievably frustrating team to watch.
GT/Falcons fan
March 6th, 2010
5:49 pm
down by 15 with 6 to play….comon man…the rats R leavin the ship….FIRE that Boo!
Chan Hewitt
March 6th, 2010
5:49 pm
We are on the brink of really taking this program to the next level!
Tom
March 6th, 2010
5:49 pm
No the stupidest thing written was that VT wouldn’t shoot 55% when clemson did and knowing how pathetic gt’s coach and defense is.
RaleighJacket
March 6th, 2010
5:49 pm
Mark, if Jeff Allen continues to think he is Labron, we just might make a run.
Scott
March 6th, 2010
5:50 pm
Gt holding the ball like they are up 15???? Mark even a 10-0 run puts you down by 6. They have no chance.
Mark Bradley
March 6th, 2010
5:50 pm
Favors stuffs one to cut it to 13, but the Jackets needed 27 seconds to achieve that.
AlabamaRamblinwreck
March 6th, 2010
5:50 pm
Team is not really good at anything. They have not improved in ANY area this year. Will you point that out in your next editorial, Mark? We need for the critical pieces to be hot and heavy. It must be clear to DRAD and the powers to be that this must stop, and it must stop now.
Ashley
March 6th, 2010
5:50 pm
Yay! Another timeout after scoring! We won’t possibly want that back late in the game!
AlabamaRamblinwreck
March 6th, 2010
5:51 pm
Use up your timeouts, Hewitt…for nothing
Mark Bradley
March 6th, 2010
5:51 pm
Shumpert long three cuts it to 10. And now a steal.
Ben
March 6th, 2010
5:51 pm
If Paul Hewitt had any honor or integrity, he would resign after this season.
Tom
March 6th, 2010
5:51 pm
Tech’s RPI keeps dropping. It was around 30. Now it’s 37. It will be below 40 after today. By bye ncaa! I bet favors wish he signed somewhere else.
Scott
March 6th, 2010
5:52 pm
Haha! Peacock! You idiot. Didn’t you learn anything in your 4 seasons?
Mark Bradley
March 6th, 2010
5:52 pm
GT misses. VT throws the ball to GT. Peacock walks. Ten-point game with 3:55 remaining.
Still a shot.
ND
March 6th, 2010
5:52 pm
I did not read your article, I haven’t read a single post. But Bradley you can not possibly make a case for why this team would deserve to play in the Dance. And MOTHER $%#@ fire that freaking excuse of a coach.
Tom
March 6th, 2010
5:52 pm
And a turnover.
GT/Falcons fan
March 6th, 2010
5:53 pm
OK MB, my paycheck vs urs next week, Tech ios out of NCAA’s…..whadda ya say?
Butts Wagner
March 6th, 2010
5:53 pm
All the “mock” NBA drafgts I have seen in the past week have Favors & Lawal as lottery picks.
After some checking, it appears there is no consensus on him. I’ve seen Lawal as high as 17 and as low as 33. That’s where he would have been drafted last year.
AlabamaRamblinwreck
March 6th, 2010
5:53 pm
Beyond PITIFUL…just beyond PITIFUL!!!
Tom
March 6th, 2010
5:53 pm
Even if gt made all their free throws today(haha) they would still be losing.
Tech Forever
March 6th, 2010
5:53 pm
Ben, That’s the ONLY way Hewitt is not back next year…..if he resigns.
Technophobia
March 6th, 2010
5:54 pm
Shumpert plays so selfishly.
RaleighJacket
March 6th, 2010
5:54 pm
That was a missed chance to cut it to 8 or to 10. Bad decision to give it to Peacock where he couldn’t do something with it. That’s the difference between the two teams. Delaney is a great lead guard and gets it to people where they can do something with it.
AlabamaRamblinwreck
March 6th, 2010
5:55 pm
Hewitt has NO shame or integrity in my opinion. When you steal money instead of earning it, you are shameless. But he is not alone in this Obamanation.
Tom
March 6th, 2010
5:55 pm
Favors dunk the damn ball
carrolltondawg
March 6th, 2010
5:55 pm
did favors forget how to dunk
Pete
March 6th, 2010
5:55 pm
Good one alabama. I agree.