Article Georgia Tech vs Grambling State

ChasonBaller

on Pastner Polo watch
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[figcap]Freshman Curtis Haywood III (#13) is 8 for 12 from deep over Tech's last three games (photo credit to ramblinwreck.com)[/figcap][/figure]I know you guys were excited for the Nerd Bowl vs. Northwestern, but tonight we have a match-up that is even better. The Sponsored by Russell Athletics Bowl! Fresh off the game winner against Northwestern in the Big 10/ACC Challenge, which the ACC won by a landslide of 11 games to 3, Georgia Tech sets their eyes on fellow Russell representative, Grambling State. You might know the Grambling State Tigers by their logo. They have a big G, exactly like that one team that Auburn football will be smashing in Atlanta on Saturday. The Grambling State Tigers out of Grambling, Louisiana play in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) and are led by first year head coach Donte’ Jackson. Prior to joining the Tigers, Jackson was the head man at Stillman College in Alabama. A cool fact about Jackson is during the 2016 season, he held both the athletic director position and the head coaching job for Stillman. Safe to say he was not on the hot seat.

So far this season Grambling State is 1-5 with their lone win coming against Texas-Rio Grande Valley. The toughest game they played was on the road against Iowa, where they played tough but fell short 74-85. The Tigers are a tough team to get a solid read on. Obviously when you have only won one game you are struggling, but at times they play so brilliantly. They hung in with a Big 10 team on the road but then turned around and got beat by teams with effectively the same amount of talent as them.

Running the show for the Tigers is the 6’0” sophomore guard out of Tacoma, Washington #1, Ivy Smith Jr. In the lone win for Grambling State, Smith Jr. had a career high 27 points along with 6 assists. Coach Jackson puts his trust in Smith Jr, and gives him the keys to the offense. As Ivy Smith Jr. goes, the Grambling State Tigers go. Most young guards who have the ball in their hands a lot tend to make mistakes and Smith Jr. is no different. Our guards and wings should be able to get him to cough the ball up.

The do it all guy for Coach Jackson’s Tigers is #11, Axel Mpoyo. He is a 6’8” junior out of Meridian, Idaho. He leads the team in minutes and fills the stat sheet in all different categories. His season high in points is 21 vs Iowa. He has racked up double digit rebounds multiple times this season along with multiple steals a game. Mpoyo is a solid upperclassmen that his coach can rely on.

Prediction: Georgia Tech harasses the guards on the perimeter and gets out in transition. I look for Jose to have a huge game on both ends and at least one alley-oop to Moses Wright. If Tech can take care of business early, we should be able to get Ben some more rest before a big game against Tennessee on Sunday. Tech by 12.
 

lv20gt

Helluva Engineer
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We let a 300+ rpi team dictate that we go small. We proceed to chuck 3s, get out rebounded, and let them score 40 in the half. Horrible, horrible decision. We should never go 4 guards.
 

Boaty1

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Yeah. Not much you can do when a team puts 5 people in the paint and we can't make wide open jump shots.

The thing that ended up being a killer was the foul by Alston. Just stupid.
 

GTbball2016

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I think Pastner had them ready to play, but he can't make shots and free throws for them.

Why was Lammers not at the high post for first ten minutes of 2nd half? Instead we saw AD and Wright there and they were totally clueless. Also have to look Moore taking a 3 pointer with four minutes left.
 

Boaty1

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We had to go small. Did you see we couldn't score with Moses or Gueye on the court. Those 2 were terrible.
 

sidewalkGTfan

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If not for JA, the game isn't even close.

How about when we are struggling in the half court O, we try to push the pace a little? I can't get over how incompetent we looked for the first 35 minutes of that game.
 

THWG

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Why was Lammers not at the high post for first ten minutes of 2nd half? Instead we saw AD and Wright there and they were totally clueless. Also have to look Moore taking a 3 pointer with four minutes left.
Lammers was cold, so you move him hoping that something clicks and as for Moore what is CJP supposed to do run out on the court and block it himself. The defense was good enough to win and there were open shots and layups to be made, but our guys couldn't make them. I don't put this one on Pastner.
 

GTbball2016

Helluva Engineer
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If not for JA, the game isn't even close.

How about when we are struggling in the half court O, we try to push the pace a little? I can't get over how incompetent we looked for the first 35 minutes of that game.

Or when you come out sluggish and other team goes on a run, you call a timeout instead of letting lead hit double digits
 

BigDaddyBuzz

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Inexcusable. Unacceptable. Effortless for 35 minutes. Free Throws were awful. Lammers was terrible. He should have sat this game to heal the ankle. Only bright spot was Jose.
 
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