Live from Tech-Ohio State: Guess who’s getting a feeling?
Sunday, 12:27 p.m. CDT: The Georgia Tech players ready for the task. (Photo by M. Bradley)
Milwaukee – It’s eerie. In 2004 Georgia Tech entered as the No. 3 seed in the Midwest Regional, only to see second-seeded Gonzaga lose to Nevada (Mark Fox was a Wolfpack assistant coach) on Saturday of the first weekend and then No. 1 Kentucky lose to UAB a hour after Tech had dispatched Boston College on Sunday in the Bradley Center.
Here we are, six springs later, and seeds Nos. 1 and 3 in the Midwest are gone, and the Jackets can unhorse the second seed themselves. Should they get past Ohio State, they’d head to St. Louis with as good a chance to reach the Final Four as any opponent they’d find. Tennessee is nothing special. For all the stunning work it has done this season, Northern Iowa isn’t apt to win four times in this event. The final qualifier will be either Maryland or Michigan State, and Tech just beat one of those.
If you’re asking, “Are you having one of those Bradley Feelings?”, the answer is, “You bet.” Tech is playing well at the right time, and the bracket, which looked so daunting in theory, is breaking the Jackets’ way.
That’s provided the Jackets can upset the Buckeyes, which will be difficult. It will not be impossible. Tech is deeper and stronger. Tech has a defender it can run at Evan Turner, the Big Ten player of the year. (The Jackets have grown accustomed to the faces of POYs — Greivis Vasquez and Jon Scheyer, each of whom Tech saw in the ACC tournament in Greensboro, ran 1-2 in ACC voting, and James Anderson, whom Iman Shumpert defused Friday, was the Big 12’s player of the year.)
I didn’t pick Tech to win today, if that matters. (And it should not, seeing as how I’m the genius who picked Kansas to win the NCAA crown.) But I like the way the Jackets are defending, and I see in them a self-assurance that wasn’t there 15 days ago. Speaking of which …
Remember how galling those losses to Clemson and Virginia Tech in the last week of the regular season seemed? Well, Clemson was one-and-done in the Big Dance — when isn’t Clemson one-and-done in the Big Dance? — and Virginia Tech didn’t qualify. And that’s why, even after the Jackets flopped against V-Tech at home, I wasn’t ready to write them off even though every shred of empirical evidence suggested I should.
See, I’ve seen a few NCAA tournaments. (This is the 30th I’ve covered.) Weird things happen herein. Who saw Villanova coming in 1985? Who saw Kansas in 1988? Who saw N.C. State in 1983?
Speaking of which … Georgia Tech has lost 12 games. Should the Jackets win the NCAA championship, that would set a record for most defeats by a titlist. (Kansas had 11, N.C. State and Villanova 10.) File that away.
And with that, our latest live chat is up and running. Please join me. This could be a significant day for the Jackets.
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
1,063 comments Add your comment
plussizemodel
March 21st, 2010
3:48 pm
ERIC: you are an idiot. Please shut up.
George P Burdette
March 21st, 2010
3:48 pm
It’s over. Same old Jackets, same old Hewitt. Nice run while it lasted
GTKen
March 21st, 2010
3:48 pm
This all comes down to coaching, folks!!!
Mark B. can DRAD force CPH to replace/ fire his assistants?
Pi$$onaDawg
March 21st, 2010
3:48 pm
Too funny!!!! FAVORS is GREAT!. I still think we can win if they play smart, but Hewitt is not a great coach and Favors is not NBA ready. Iman I bet I can shot you from a 100 yards better than you can shot a bucket from 18 ft.
WordofMouth
March 21st, 2010
3:49 pm
I hope (if we lose) that you are right, nocoach. I cannot take this travesty any longer. I don’t mind losing to a more talented team, but I cannot stand giving anymore away because of a lack of BB IQ and fundamentals.
Lawton
March 21st, 2010
3:49 pm
I wouldn’t call what Ohio State plays as dirty basketball, but I would call it cheap basketball. They are very good stepping into an opponents’ body and acting like they got fouled. Not an honorable way to play the game and I hate coaches that coach it.
ERIC
March 21st, 2010
3:49 pm
MARK BRADLEY MAKE 14.50 AN HOUR
NoCoach Blewitt
March 21st, 2010
3:49 pm
Jacket13 …… who do you think has the responsibily to raise their f$*^ing baskeball acumen?? When its the same for ten years it is the coach
Jacket13
March 21st, 2010
3:49 pm
I may sound like I am defending Hewitt jhere but once again he recruited what was the 5th best point guard in the nation this year in Udofia and they guy has flat out failed! This guy was a really good point guard in high school and started off very well but he has hit a wall that tells me that he wasnt that good in the first place. Most good point guards struggle a little but then they realize what they are doing wrong and play with confidence.
Refs doing us no Favors
March 21st, 2010
3:49 pm
Favors has a 6′4″ guy guarding him and we can’t get the ball to him. We don’t deserve to win. Reminds me of when Valvano put a 5′10″ (Corchiani?) guy on 6′9″ Tom Hammonds and wore us out.
GT Fan...
March 21st, 2010
3:49 pm
Love it when GT breaks the press then hurries a 3pt shot WITH NOBODY UNDERNEATH FOR A REBOUND CHANCE!!!!!!!!
The guy guarding Favors … was he as highly recruited or does he have near the NBA potential that Favors was/does???
The mismatch coming in was INSIDE, yet PH’s boys are getting schooled!
WDE!!
March 21st, 2010
3:49 pm
Can’t believe they didn’t get Favors for something again there!
plussizemodel
March 21st, 2010
3:49 pm
This chat room needs an ignore user function.
GTPhenom
March 21st, 2010
3:49 pm
Wait, did Favors finally make a basket? Shocking.
ERIC
March 21st, 2010
3:49 pm
MARK BRADLEY WIFE LOOKS LIKE A RUN DOWN CHER
Technophobia
March 21st, 2010
3:50 pm
Ok, Favors finally gets a basket.
Technophobia
March 21st, 2010
3:50 pm
Good D!
GTKen
March 21st, 2010
3:50 pm
finally Favors scores, wake up, you’re losing $$$millions
TIM
March 21st, 2010
3:50 pm
MARK BRADLEY SON WILL BE A JANITOR SOMEDAY
Biff Pocoroba
March 21st, 2010
3:50 pm
The sad thing is that Hewitt is stealing an extra $50,000 from Tech just for being in this game. But at least he “knows the truth.”
Decatur Tech Fan
March 21st, 2010
3:50 pm
GTphenom….hope you are a one and done 2. do they drug-test at ur place of work at all?
Pi$$onaDawg
March 21st, 2010
3:50 pm
ERIC can you tell who you work for so we can call your boss and demand you get fired too?
NoCoach Blewitt
March 21st, 2010
3:51 pm
another turnover
Decatur Tech Fan
March 21st, 2010
3:51 pm
Peacock puts it on the floor…..LOL.
Technophobia
March 21st, 2010
3:51 pm
Oliver just dropped that.
bigdave
March 21st, 2010
3:51 pm
the Jersey kid is garbage.
NoCoach Blewitt
March 21st, 2010
3:51 pm
HAAHAHAHA “Paul Hewitt just shaking his head over on the sideline” …. No Sh!t thats all he is good for
GTPhenom
March 21st, 2010
3:52 pm
Wow, a foul not on us. Once again, I am amazed.
Decatur Tech Fan
March 21st, 2010
3:52 pm
White boy SCHOLLS all 5 streetballers…….LOL
Joe Schmoe
March 21st, 2010
3:52 pm
Haha, Hewitt shaking head. Well he knows how to do something right.
TIM
March 21st, 2010
3:52 pm
PAUL HEWITT NEEDS SUPPORT FROM YOU LOSERS. GUEST WHAT U HATERS OBAMA HAS PASSED HEALTH CARE. THANKS GUYS FOR PAYING FOR MY DOCTOR VISITS. TECH ALUM
groundfog
March 21st, 2010
3:52 pm
Oliver is a horrible shooter
Jacket13
March 21st, 2010
3:52 pm
See what I mean, that not Hewitts fault! Oliver just didnt catch the ball. Stop crying about Hewitt, the players need play better and make better decisions!!! Point blank!
Lawton
March 21st, 2010
3:52 pm
emphasis — FIRST foul on Lauderdale.
Biff Pocoroba
March 21st, 2010
3:52 pm
Jacket 13, Udofia failed because Hewitt hired one his mediocre former point guards to come in and coach him instead of going out and getting an assistant who had actually coached before.
Butts Wagner
March 21st, 2010
3:52 pm
9 more shot attempts for OSU at this point
GTPhenom
March 21st, 2010
3:52 pm
What Decatur? Please explain?
Technophobia
March 21st, 2010
3:52 pm
2 OSU players with 3 fouls now.
Haltime Tech Fan
March 21st, 2010
3:53 pm
I’m def a georgia fan, but when Tech is playing anyone else I pull for them. If I was a die hard I could not be more frustrated, I’m yelling at the TV and I don’t even care that much. Just check out the fg attempts Tech barely gets to take any shots the turnovers are like a comedy act. I gave never seen a major institution have so many morons on the court at the sametime. Why can’t tech get any rebounds? isn’t that the one advantage. I do believe the pg for tech Shumpert, will be a very good player in the next couple years, I don’t blame his quick jumpshots , what should he do just wait for someone else to turn it over?
GTPhenom
March 21st, 2010
3:53 pm
Dammit.
GTPhenom
March 21st, 2010
3:53 pm
There go the wheels.
Flowery Branch Yellow Jacket
March 21st, 2010
3:53 pm
Time to go to Bristol.
Fan of the game
March 21st, 2010
3:53 pm
OMG Why do they keep leaving them open for the three?!! Come on Tech we have to do better!
NoCoach Blewitt
March 21st, 2010
3:53 pm
Health Care hasnt passed yet moron …. maybe you should read up on your facts first
Paul in RDU
March 21st, 2010
3:53 pm
Our transition D is falling apart
groundfog
March 21st, 2010
3:53 pm
Tech has no answer without Favors. Their guards cvsan’t dribble or shoot.
Technophobia
March 21st, 2010
3:53 pm
Every time we shoot too quickly they score in transition!
Decatur Tech Fan
March 21st, 2010
3:53 pm
14 points…..turn out the lights…..the party is OVER!!!!
Mark Bradley
March 21st, 2010
3:53 pm
Ohio State 46, Georgia Tech 32. The Buckeyes are running.
J.J.M.
March 21st, 2010
3:54 pm
like i said this game is over…i had them losing this game on my bracket anyways