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.
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1,063 comments Add your comment
kegiee
March 21st, 2010
3:00 pm
GT Phenon what a name loser…………When does star treck begin????
Don
March 21st, 2010
3:00 pm
8 turnovers for both teams
Don
March 21st, 2010
3:01 pm
9 now for gt
Don
March 21st, 2010
3:01 pm
10 now
B.S. Meter
March 21st, 2010
3:01 pm
This game has been bought.
bigdave
March 21st, 2010
3:02 pm
Mo Miller decision making is horrible…
WordofMouth
March 21st, 2010
3:02 pm
Stupid outside shots may as well be counted as turnovers….wow, we almost let OSU have the turnover lead, but no, that is unacceptable.
Mark Bradley
March 21st, 2010
3:02 pm
Georgia Tech 22, Ohio State 21. Neither team is getting much going. The score might be a hint.
GTPhenom
March 21st, 2010
3:02 pm
Are you kidding me?!? This is worse than sloppy. Gah, this is old Tech B-Ball 101 all over again. This brings me back to the ACC tourney where we turned the ball over 500 times . . .
Buckhead Bulldog
March 21st, 2010
3:02 pm
Man….some stupid moves/passes on GT. Tech should be drilling these slow OSU fellas.
WordofMouth
March 21st, 2010
3:03 pm
If games were decided by the team with the most turnovers, we might have not lost more than 5 games this year.
Biff Pocoroba
March 21st, 2010
3:03 pm
“I’m startled when people question why we play Shumpert,” Hewitt continued. “Why do we play him? Do they understand how good he is defensively?”
That isn’t why people question it coach. They question it because he can’t shoot or pass and you let him get away with shooting terrible shots.
B.S. Meter
March 21st, 2010
3:03 pm
Game is rigged. Refs have obviously been bought. Pathetic
Butts Wagner
March 21st, 2010
3:03 pm
GT should have had 20 pts at the 10 min. mark, based on how much they dominated the first 10 minutes.
GTPhenom
March 21st, 2010
3:04 pm
Wow, impressive comeback pup. It hurts so bad man, it really does. See, note that I did not start this crap, I am not going to continue it. All I will say is that if GT is irrelevant to you pups, why even bother watching the game dumbass?
WordofMouth
March 21st, 2010
3:04 pm
Gani really has bad hands for a big guy, especially a big guy who is not a 7 footer. I appreciate the heart he shows, but his hands are a definite question mark.
Refs doing us no Favors
March 21st, 2010
3:04 pm
The good news is we’re making stupid (10) TO’s, have committed 10 fouls, haven’t figured out how to attack their zone…and we’re still in the game. The bad news is we are always within striking distance of a 6 possession/6 TO streak…
Eric C.
March 21st, 2010
3:04 pm
Price, Marbury, Anderson, Jack, ?
Pi$$onaDawg
March 21st, 2010
3:04 pm
Turnovers are showing again. Paul talk to the guys and settle them down. Run the O and burn the clock. Limit OSU’s touches. DAMN I think I will drink a 1/5 before the HALF if we keep playing this way. TRON thanks JUST got the PIZZA and I am pouring JACK in the FAX now you have to get your own ice.
Technophobia
March 21st, 2010
3:04 pm
No substitutions yet for OSU
Matt
March 21st, 2010
3:04 pm
It blows my mind that you can play this many games and STILL cant seem to pass the ball..I have to admit I’m surprised that we are in the game with all the turnovers and Favors not a factor at all
Jason
March 21st, 2010
3:05 pm
Let’s play a drinking game. Everyone take a shot each time Tech turns the ball over. We’ll be wasted in 10 minutes.
A Rob
March 21st, 2010
3:05 pm
Value the basketball guys! Cmon
Jackets2010
March 21st, 2010
3:05 pm
Refs neutral in my book.
Free throw problem addressed.
Team chemistry problem addressed by taking cellphones.
Turnover problem still there.
GTPhenom
March 21st, 2010
3:06 pm
Left him wide open. That was pathetic right there.
Technophobia
March 21st, 2010
3:06 pm
These quick shots are killing us
Mark Bradley
March 21st, 2010
3:06 pm
Three fouls on Lawal. Brad Sheehan checks in.
A Rob
March 21st, 2010
3:06 pm
where is favors?
Tron5000
March 21st, 2010
3:06 pm
#3 on Gani. Great job.
Paul in RDU
March 21st, 2010
3:07 pm
Could have called that last foul either way
Biff Pocoroba
March 21st, 2010
3:07 pm
Cornell with a big early lead on Wisconsin. I wonder if their coach would be interested in moving south. Maybe he could actually develop a point guard and teach a team how to bring the ball in bounds without wasting NBA talent
Refs doing us no Favors
March 21st, 2010
3:07 pm
refs are A-W-F-U-L
GTPhenom
March 21st, 2010
3:07 pm
You see, these refs have the game rigged dammit. Let the guys play. It is a freaking contact sport at times.
plussizemodel
March 21st, 2010
3:07 pm
If GT had any chance at all they’d be up by about 12 right now. They’re about to get hit by a barrage and this thing is going to end up being boring.
Technophobia
March 21st, 2010
3:07 pm
Another cheap foul
Butts Wagner
March 21st, 2010
3:07 pm
still can’t get the ball past midcourt
Tron5000
March 21st, 2010
3:07 pm
Holy crap Sheehan’s in the game.
groundfog
March 21st, 2010
3:07 pm
Lawal and Favors are still at the hotel
B.S. Meter
March 21st, 2010
3:08 pm
Third on Lawal. Paid off refs are keeping Ohio St. in this farce.
Mark Bradley
March 21st, 2010
3:08 pm
Rice again fouled on a three-pointer.
A Rob
March 21st, 2010
3:08 pm
bailed us out with that one
WordofMouth
March 21st, 2010
3:08 pm
This does not look good for the good guys
Lochness
March 21st, 2010
3:08 pm
In spite of Tech’s uneven play, I’m relieved to see that Tech still looks like the stronger team. Also they look like the deeper team. That OSU’s starters played just about the entire previous game will play to Tech’s advantage in the 2nd half. I wish Shumpert would stop jacking them up and the refs might call a foul against OSU.
A Rob
March 21st, 2010
3:09 pm
just keep it within 6 at half, then bring back bigs
plussizemodel
March 21st, 2010
3:09 pm
You Tech fans need to stop whining about the refs. They don’t cause turnovers and make your guards suck.
Jackets2010
March 21st, 2010
3:09 pm
Lawal has played decent.
Very little from Favors.
Pi$$onaDawg
March 21st, 2010
3:10 pm
Bob who is winning the NASCAR race becuse TECH can’t beat the Refs and the TO bug too.
GA PEACH
March 21st, 2010
3:10 pm
OMG Jackets WTH????? Glen Rice Jr is the only chance we have now!!! Foul trouble is killin the Jackets. I have to go lye down now
BehindEnemyLines
March 21st, 2010
3:10 pm
Order appears to have been restored to the universe, these Jackets have turned right back into the ones we’ve seen most of the season.
Fred
March 21st, 2010
3:10 pm
We’re doomed. Free throws back to old tech and turnovers worse. this will end in a blowout