Loyola Chicago (8) vs. Georgia Tech (9), Friday, 4pm ET, TBS

[gt24]

Man, if Devoe consistently showed a floater, that would be a game changer for his arsenal. So many other things it sets up for him when he comes down the lane.

All this talk of Moses vs Kurtwig and we don't talk about Devoe/Alvarado/Usher. Usher's rise (literally and figuratively) has made us a legitimate 4 headed monster. Unless you have straight ballers at 4 spots in your lineup, it's gonna be really hard to keep up with us right now. Ask Duke/FSU/VT/Syracuse about that. I think it's been hard to tell just how really good we were lately (even though we're on an 8 game win streak) because the other teams were ultra talented. Duke and FSU especially...all that talent on those teams and at times they just could not keep up.

You know what's even scarier? We actually have not shot that well lately. If Devoe/Alvarado go off like they can, this team is frightening for opponents.

Getting back to Usher, look at his last 5 games:

Jordan Usher 2021-22 Stats per Game - NCAAM - ESPN

The 2021-22 NCAAM season stats per game for Jordan Usher of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on ESPN. Includes full stats, per opponent, for regular and postseason.

www.espn.com

Usher's production is now consistently matching his physical talents. He's now a guy that will give you 15 pts/5 rebs/2+ steals/3+ assists a game. There are periods in games where he is flat dominant on both ends, and quite possibly the best player on the court. If you pay attention, the promising thing for us, and scary for the other team...is Usher can be even better. The hope is it shows up during the NCAAT and just makes us unguardable in combination with Alvarado/Moses/Devoe.

We definitely have room to improve, but we are playing very well heading into the NCAAT...precisely when teams want to time it.

this.

i believe lv20gt pointed out something similar to what you are stating. krutwig averages 15ppg, its not as if he is getting 25 a night. and that 15 is against MVC centers. of course, what makes him so good is he also facilitates and creates for teammates, so ppg is not really the full barometer for his offensive impact. still, i think Moses wins that matchup. regardless, it is hard to imagine that matchup between ACC POY and MVC POY being anything worse for us than a "push". and then to your point, look at the other matchups. that is what jumps out at me. we win 4/4 or 3/4.

remove the Final 4 run from 3 (three!) years ago, and the high NET/KenPom statistical ratings which are based on playing exclusively mid-major teams (save Wisconsin)... this is a talented, well-coached, respectable, mid-major team that could beat any P6 in the country. but that does not mean they should be favored or are scary.

as someone else broke down elsewhere, GT is a 4-seed without those 3 bogus loses. not trying to re-litigate that, just pointing out that in reality this is a 4-seed ACC champion vs the MVC champion. the MVC has shown it can win plenty of NCAA tourney games in the last decade. but i'm betting ACC champions have won plenty more.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

How much of an advantage / disadvantage is it to us to be playing on a neutral court we aren't familiar with?

At the ACC tourney, the first time we got on the court was for warmups before Miami. That didn't help. But in this case Loyola will be in the same boat.

 

[Gold1]

We won by one in this simulation. Good sign lol

 

[bobongo]

We won by one in this simulation. Good sign lol

105 - 104? That's not gonna happen.

 

[Gold1]

105 - 104?

High scoring game I guess

 

[LibertyTurns]

105 - 104? That's not gonna happen.

6 or 8 OT’s maybe?

Hate this match up. #1 Normally I root for small schools like them. #2 We really don’t know if these guys are really a 3 seed. #3 Then there’s the Sister Jean angle.

Reading much of the analysis on here regarding how to attack Loyola I think it comes down to GT’s 3 pt shooting. We’ve been not doing well lately.

We are probably going to have to play damn near our best game all season not to go home empty handed.

 

[slugboy]

Sperber covers us somewhere in here, with everyone else in the tournament

 

[Rambergler]

Loyola fan here who's had a soft spot for GT ever since taking the high-powered Reggie Ball/Megatron-led GT squads to back-to-back championship games (1-1) in my dorm-wide multi-season league way back in NCAA 05.

Anyway, this game scares me. I think both teams were screwed with our seeds, and both could make a definite case for a 7 seed, probably a 6, and possibly a 5. This is much more of a 2nd weekend match-up than a first rounder. If either of them were an 8 seed in Michigan's bracket, I think either one could legitimately make a run to the sweet 16 or more.

Should be a fun game. Sounds like a strong matchup between 2 teams that make their bones on defense (Williamson is the MVC DPOY) with offenses that can go off. We switch almost everything and feed off of long defensive possessions.

Gotta stand up for my man Krut tho. Yeah, he looks like a guy who drives a minivan and does your taxes but he is sneaky athletic and sneaky strong. The man has the hands of a WR and feet of a ballerina. In all seriousness, anyone who says he doesn't like to bang down low hasn't watched Loyola play. He directs the offense at the elbow or top of the key but he can bang down low with the best of them, and is big enough to stand people up on defense. He more than held his own against Darnell Brody on Drake, who's an absolute monster (6-10, 275).

Hopefully we beat you guys of course, but if not, this loyola fan will 100% be pulling for you to knock off Illinois, because f*** them lol.

 

[Gtbowhunter90]

Sperber covers us somewhere in here, with everyone else in the tournament

I'll save everyone some time. He says, "Georgia Tech uses a 1-3-1 scheme for over 1/4 of our defensive sets"

 

[forensicbuzz]

I don't think either team reaches 70 points. This is quite possibly a below 100 points total scored, type game. I am thinking it will be a 49-46 type score. Both team excel in defense. I don't see either team lighting it up, unless one gets really hot at the 3 point line.

depends on if we can turn them over. They'll slow us down in a 1/2-court offense, but if we score a lot in transition, we'll run them out of the building.

 

[CuseJacket]

 

[gt24]

Here is the Jay Bilas analysis and pick.
(certainly seems like the loyola portion is missing proper citations on his sources)


No. 8 Loyola Chicago Ramblers vs. No. 9 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
This is the most compelling of the No. 8 vs. No. 9 games -- by far. This is the Ramblers' first NCAA appearance since reaching the Final Four in 2018 as an 11-seed. This team is actually better defensively, at least according to the metrics. Loyola is the No. 1-ranked defense in the nation from an efficiency standpoint; the Ramblers are very together and difficult to score upon. That leads to wins, and Loyola has 21 in its past 23 games. Possessions are long, and the Ramblers defend without fouling to force tough 2s. Essentially, Porter Moser has made the calculation that Loyola's defense cannot take away everything, so he takes away the things that hurt most: 3-point shots. Loyola does not over-help to get into rotation or scramble. If it does, it will not come off shooters to help on drivers taking tough 2-point shots. Why allow a pass to an open 3-point shooter when you can force a midrange jumper off the bounce while reaching for the lights? Plus, Loyola is a talking defense, one that communicates everything as if it were a choreographed dance. Cameron Krutwig is the loud, order-barking voice behind the Loyola defense, while Lucas Williamson and Aher Uguak are the super-talented and lengthy wings who can guard anyone. Williamson is the best overall defender. He is long, athletic and does not melt on screens. Uguak can switch and guard anyone on the floor. Krutwig has good hands and gets strips but can be compromised when guarding pick-and-roll actions. Krutwig is the key to this team. He is the facilitator on both offense and defense. A great passer, Krutwig is the player Moser runs his 5-out offense through. Krutwig just knows how to play. The harmonica-playing big man has put up numbers in the Missouri Valley Conference that only Larry Bird, Oscar Robertson and Hersey Hawkins can match. One of the hottest teams in a relatively weak ACC, the Yellow Jackets won six straight games heading into the ACC tournament. With an incredible finish to his season, interior presence Moses Wright took home ACC Player of the Year honors, while teammate Jose Alvarado, of whom coach Josh Pastner says winning is more important than breathing, took home the ACC Defensive Player of the Year award. Wright was a sidekick to shot-blocking savant James Banks III in the past. He is now the center of attention. Georgia Tech mixes defenses, using hybrid zones and man. The Jackets are aggressive going for steals and blocked shots. The two early-season losses to mid-majors took attention away from Georgia Tech, but this team can still be a tough out. Alvarado is an incredible ball thief. Anything below the rim, it belongs to him.
Winner: Loyola Chicago

 

[Vespid]

Loyola fan here who's had a soft spot for GT ever since taking the high-powered Reggie Ball/Megatron-led GT squads to back-to-back championship games (1-1) in my dorm-wide multi-season league way back in NCAA 05.

Anyway, this game scares me. I think both teams were screwed with our seeds, and both could make a definite case for a 7 seed, probably a 6, and possibly a 5. This is much more of a 2nd weekend match-up than a first rounder. If either of them were an 8 seed in Michigan's bracket, I think either one could legitimately make a run to the sweet 16 or more.

Should be a fun game. Sounds like a strong matchup between 2 teams that make their bones on defense (Williamson is the MVC DPOY) with offenses that can go off. We switch almost everything and feed off of long defensive possessions.

Gotta stand up for my man Krut tho. Yeah, he looks like a guy who drives a minivan and does your taxes but he is sneaky athletic and sneaky strong. The man has the hands of a WR and feet of a ballerina. In all seriousness, anyone who says he doesn't like to bang down low hasn't watched Loyola play. He directs the offense at the elbow or top of the key but he can bang down low with the best of them, and is big enough to stand people up on defense. He more than held his own against Darnell Brody on Drake, who's an absolute monster (6-10, 275).

Hopefully we beat you guys of course, but if not, this loyola fan will 100% be pulling for you to knock off Illinois, because f*** them lol.

You don't have to stand up for Krutwig. Anybody here who has seen tape on him play knows he's the real deal. Excellent player. Extremely high basketball IQ. I don't think it's any secret we have to keep him in check to have any chance at all.

 

[D-man44]

Here is the Jay Bilas analysis and pick.
(certainly seems like the loyola portion is missing proper citations on his sources)


No. 8 Loyola Chicago Ramblers vs. No. 9 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
This is the most compelling of the No. 8 vs. No. 9 games -- by far. This is the Ramblers' first NCAA appearance since reaching the Final Four in 2018 as an 11-seed. This team is actually better defensively, at least according to the metrics. Loyola is the No. 1-ranked defense in the nation from an efficiency standpoint; the Ramblers are very together and difficult to score upon. That leads to wins, and Loyola has 21 in its past 23 games. Possessions are long, and the Ramblers defend without fouling to force tough 2s. Essentially, Porter Moser has made the calculation that Loyola's defense cannot take away everything, so he takes away the things that hurt most: 3-point shots. Loyola does not over-help to get into rotation or scramble. If it does, it will not come off shooters to help on drivers taking tough 2-point shots. Why allow a pass to an open 3-point shooter when you can force a midrange jumper off the bounce while reaching for the lights? Plus, Loyola is a talking defense, one that communicates everything as if it were a choreographed dance. Cameron Krutwig is the loud, order-barking voice behind the Loyola defense, while Lucas Williamson and Aher Uguak are the super-talented and lengthy wings who can guard anyone. Williamson is the best overall defender. He is long, athletic and does not melt on screens. Uguak can switch and guard anyone on the floor. Krutwig has good hands and gets strips but can be compromised when guarding pick-and-roll actions. Krutwig is the key to this team. He is the facilitator on both offense and defense. A great passer, Krutwig is the player Moser runs his 5-out offense through. Krutwig just knows how to play. The harmonica-playing big man has put up numbers in the Missouri Valley Conference that only Larry Bird, Oscar Robertson and Hersey Hawkins can match. One of the hottest teams in a relatively weak ACC, the Yellow Jackets won six straight games heading into the ACC tournament. With an incredible finish to his season, interior presence Moses Wright took home ACC Player of the Year honors, while teammate Jose Alvarado, of whom coach Josh Pastner says winning is more important than breathing, took home the ACC Defensive Player of the Year award. Wright was a sidekick to shot-blocking savant James Banks III in the past. He is now the center of attention. Georgia Tech mixes defenses, using hybrid zones and man. The Jackets are aggressive going for steals and blocked shots. The two early-season losses to mid-majors took attention away from Georgia Tech, but this team can still be a tough out. Alvarado is an incredible ball thief. Anything below the rim, it belongs to him.
Winner: Loyola Chicago

Goodness my hate for Bilas continues to grow. His GT analysis here is something you could look up in 5 min. Such an overrated sports personality.

 

[JacketMicMan]

We won by one in this simulation. Good sign lol

#31. Is Gani Lawal starting on Friday?

 

[Techster]

Falcons want some of our shine. All kidding aside, awesome to see the Atlanta sports and social scene embracing our journey.

 

[MidtownJacket]

Falcons want some of our shine. All kidding aside, awesome to see the Atlanta sports and social scene embracing our journey.

This is huge

 

[JDjacket]

Falcons want some of our shine. All kidding aside, awesome to see the Atlanta sports and social scene embracing our journey.

Falcons support? We ded. The last tweet they had in support of another Atlanta sports teams was Braves vs Dodgers.

 

[lv20gt]

I watched the game vs Valpo and here are my thoughts.

First off, I wouldn't try to take too much away from any one game and in particular I don't think this was one of their better performances by any stretch. I wish I could find the full game against Drake in the conference championship, but I can only fight the highlights (extensive highlights but hard to judge too even from that).

Offense - I wasn't overly impressed. Like I said, I don't want to take too much away from one game and they did seem flat compared to the other times Ive managed to catch them. Not bad, but not particularly noteworthy. Krutwig is a smart player and capable of both scoring and facilitating but it feels like he is often in one or the other mode. If he's at the top of the key it doesn't look like he's thinking about scoring much at all. Doesn't really appear to look for the jumper from there nor does he seem that interested in trying to drive. You do need to make sure you deal with him in a roll to the basket position though because if Moses gets distracted by a dribble handoff a lob over the top is something we can see. Not dissimilar to Duke, although I doubt Krutwig will throw it down like Williams, but a layup and dunk are both worth 2. In the post he's a bit more balanced as even if he's looking to score he also usually has an eye out to see if help is coming and can pass out of the post. Otherwise they seem to have solid players capable of helping score, but not really carrying the load. If I had to chose someone else it might be Norris to worry about. Obviously on any given night a player can get hot but you can't really prepare for that type of thing. They can punish bad defense, but against better defenses I do think they will struggle some.

I would say our best bet on defense is to actually avoid the zone to start. It just invites them to do what they want to do anyways with Kurtwig facilitating from the high post. Go man, and don't help Moses. Try to limit Krutwig's playmaking ability by not giving good passing opportunities, and dare him to try and carry the load by scoring against Moses down low. If he can you adjust after. But my guess is he'll be able to score some but I'm not sure it'll be enough to force us to bring extra help. It will come down to how Moses defends him before getting the ball. If Krutwig consistently gets good position down low, which he might with how he can use his 255 lb frame, he may be able to carry the load. However Krutwig might be too smart at times, in the sense that if he gets the ball too far pushed out he might just go straight into pass mode because he recognizes the situation as being unfavorable. That's more a guess from how he appears to approach the game though. So Moses needs to battle and force him to get the ball further away.

Defensively though is a different story. They are extremely well coached and you can see the defensive principles that go into their defense and they are consistent about it. I'm not convinced they are actually the absolute best defensive team in the country, but I think they have a good argument for being the best defensive team relative to talent. I do think they might be vulnerable to more talented teams exploiting individual advantages. As good teams will do they will make adjustments, but adjustments will almost always come with a price and we'll need to be able to identify what that is. Fortunately we've been pretty good this year with adjustments, and a very experienced group should help with that.

So to that end I would hope that we try and focus the ball early to Moses, both down low, but also more extended out in iso situations to one side or the other. See how Krutwig will try to defend a faced up Moses. If he extends out then Moses can try to go around him and maybe pick up some fouls or some early slams. If he sags off, I hope Moses wouldn't settle, but instead would take a hard dribble or two right at him and then elevate straight up. It wouldn't surprise me to see Loyola dig down to him right from the get go, and if they do, put Devoe behind Moses and look for chances to drift to the corner if they dig too hard. If this were even last year I'd be worried about Moses turning it over trying to force the issue but he's much improved this year.

Otherwise, they have two really good wing defenders in Williamson and Uguak. The former was conference defensive player of the year, and the latter has the size, athleticism, and, like everyone else, coaching to be really good. I expect them to try and keep Williamson on Jose and Uguak on Usher. That is another reason I would have Mike be the guy behind Moses because his defender is likely to be someone who is not one of them, and so less likely to make a play and/or more likely to lose track of Devoe to try and make one. Usher vs Uguak will be fun to watch, and I think if they stick to that it'll be hard for Usher to make too big an impact, in the half court. But if they ever switch off or when Uguak sits, we should hunt that matchup as I think Ushers size, athleticism, and somewhat new found ability to finish near the rim (not at the rim, near it) will be useful. Jose vs Williamson will be a fun battle. I'm reminded of that quote from Jose concerning how he wanted to go find whoever won the dPoY (if it wasn't him) and score on them. It'll be fun to see that match up on both ends.

lastly, here is my hot take. Kyle Sturdivant sets a new career high this game. The 5th player, other than Jose, Mike, Ush, and Moses, is likely to get the weakest individual perimeter defender on the court from them, and I think Kyle has the ability to take that type of player off the dribble, and without a real rim protecting presence, and likely reluctance of Krutwig to leave Moses, it should leave opportunities for Kyle to finish right at the rim. Now, is it bold to predict someone who has scored in double digits just twice in his career will go for 15+ against the statistical best defensive team? Absolutely. But hot takes need to be spicy.

 

[techgrad]

I wish I could find the full game against Drake in the conference championship, but I can only fight the highlights (extensive highlights but hard to judge too even from that).

Here's their championship game against Drake and then their semifinal game against Indiana State. They relied on 3 pointers a lot in both games. In the Valpo game, their 3 pointers weren't dropping, and they had a hard time scoring.

Against Drake:


Against Indiana State: