If you want to know what Georgia Tech basketball is go back and watch the Jackets 69-64 ACC Tournament quarterfinal win over co-league champion Maryland. The Jackets in the first half displayed all their incredible athleticism and talent in running out to a 41-25 half time lead.

The second half you saw Georgia Tech struggle to inbounds the ball, and commit turnover after turnover against a Terp team that is accustomed to winning.

A funny thing happened on the way to a Yellow Jacket disaster, Georgia Tech showed a resolve  rarely seen the last several years to hold off Maryland and win this game. The victory will put Georgia Tech in the NCAAs. Mark it down they are a lock, and they earned their way in.

Do you like Paul Hewitt? Do you hate Paul Hewitt? If you are a Georgia Tech fan put that aside for another day and time. Get behind these Jackets and cheer them on. The Jackets have a very real shot at winning the whole darned ACC tournament.

Thanks to Raycom Sports and some tickets they hooked me up with, I’ll be headed to Greensboro this weekend to root the Jackets on, and I can’t wait.

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I’m sticking with my prediction from the beginning year. If Georgia Tech finishes 8-8 in the ACC, they will make the NCAA tournament. Saturday they picked up a 73-68 win over a pesky Boston College team. The game was never really in doubt in my opinion. The Jackets moved to 19-9 (7-7), and the path is obvious, win at Clemson or at home Virginia Tech to get to 8-8.

Iman Shumpert had 24 points in the win, and Derrick Favors had another solid game with 14 points and 5 rebounds. When Shumpert can free himself into scoring position he makes Georgia Tech a much better team. I really would like to see him more at shooting guard and less point guard. I guess Hewitt feels he doesn’t have much option there though. Either play freshman Mfon Udofia there, who seems to have hit a wall, or play Maurice Miller at the point. Miller has played solidly in the backup role recently, but doesn’t have the size Shumpert does, and Hewitt likes big point guards to be his starter. That said, when Shumpert scores 15 points or more a game, Tech will usually win.

Derricks Favors is looking more and more like the player that was a consensus top 5 High School. I think Favors is starting to learn how to stay out of foul trouble, and he runs the floor as well as any big man in the ACC. I’m still not convinced that Georgia Tech is playing its best basketball of the year as Paul Hewitt said recently, but they are still in position to make the NCAA’s. That’s all you can ask for at this point in the year.

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The Jackets moved to 16-5 After Saturday’s 98 – 50 organized scrimmage win over Kentucky St. The Kentucky St. game went exactly as expected. A blowout win where the reserves got some time in and no one got hurt. It was the 79-58 win Thursday night over Wake Forest that really opened some  eyes.

With a road ACC game next at Duke, the Jackets couldn’t afford a loss to a solid Wake Forest team. The Jackets played their best game of the season. They dominated inside with Derrick Favors and Gani Lawal, played good defense, and were very efficient in their half court offense. They shot over 50% for the game, and got balanced scoring. De’Andre Bell is starting to show his patented mid-range jumper and Brian Oliver continues his hot shooting from the outside. Combine perimeter shooting with the strong inside game and the Jackets are capable of becoming an extremely dangerous team come March.

Georgia Tech has seven wins over RPI top 100 teams, and five wins over RPI top 50 teams. The top 50 are wins over Siena, UNC Charlotte, Duke, Wake Forest, and Clemson. Don’t be surprised if North Carolina doesn’t end the year in the top 50 as well. There are plenty of quality wins and no really bad losses on Georgia Tech’s resume. I’m cautiously optimistic that the Jacket’s are very close to locking up an NCAA bid. Before that can happen though, let’s look at the rest of the schedule with my projections.

2-4 @Duke L

You never really expect to win at Duke, and I don’t see the Jackets winning there this year.

2-6 NC State W

The Wolfpack can really play well at times, but Jackets win.

2-10 @Miami W

The Canes are reeling, and if the Jackets are a top 6 seed, they will win this game.

2-13 @Wake Forest L

I think it is too much to ask for Georgia Tech to win at Wake Forest.

2-16 North Carolina W

The Heels won’t have an advantage at any position on the floor, and the game is in Atlanta.

2-20 @Maryland L

The Terps have proven to me they are an NCAA team. Its tough to win in College Park.

2-27 Boston College W

Georgia Tech is a  bad matchup for the Eagles. Jackets win going away.

3-02 @Clemson L

If Clemson PG Demontez Stitt is healthy, the Tigers win in LittleJohn.

3-06 Virginia Tech W

I’m having a tough time gauging Virginia Tech, but it’s senior day for the Jackets. Georgia Tech wins.

If the season follows the form I expect, the Jackets will finish 22-10 (9-7) and go 1-1 in the ACC tournament. That will be more than enough to put the Jackets into the big dance. They’ll get in as #6 seed. Then with the way Jacket’s are playing defense you never know what can happen.

For more articles about Georgia Tech, the ACC, and other sports topics visit my blog at

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