- Messages
- 18,946
ATLANTA, GA - Powered by a 40-point second half, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (8-2) overcame an 8-point halftime deficit en route to a 65-60 home victory over the Vanderbilt Commodores (7-3) Saturday afternoon at McCamish Pavilion.
The Yellow Jackets struggled offensively in the first half, converting just 28% of their field goal attempts and struggling to find their rhythm against a variety of defensive sets from the visiting Commodores. For most of the half the Jackets defense was about as sharp as its offense, allowing Vanderbilt to convert 55% of their field goal tries, including three 3-pointers.
All in all a lackadaisical effort from the Yellow Jackets allowed the Commodores to go in to the halftime break up 33-25. The visitors from Nashville had control of the game and Tech had few, if any, answers.
The script flipped in the second half. Tempo and effort from the Jackets increased on both ends of the floor as well as in transition. The Yellow Jackets, who seem to struggle against any variation of zone defense, moved the ball efficiently on offense. Two quick 3-pointers out of the gate by Travis Jorgenson and Quinton Stephens pulled the Yellow Jackets within 4 before the first TV timeout.
The Yellow Jackets did not relent from there on out. During separate possessions both Jorgenson and Chris Bolden created their own shot and hit big mid-range jumpers as the Jackets took their first lead of the half with under 10 minutes to go.
Defensively Tech made hay by grabbing 4 steals, blocking 2 shots, and outrebounding Vanderbilt 21-13 during the second half. Two of those steals turned into poster-worthy slams on the other end of the court - the first by Charles Mitchell off a 2-on-1 feed from Jorgenson and the second by Robert Sampson, from Jorgenson again, that shot the McCamish Pavilion crowd to its feet.
In the end the Yellow Jackets did enough to slow down the Commodores and pick up their eighth win of the season. It was a big one that came at the right time. Not only should this win against a brand-name team build confidence during a non-conference schedule that has not presented many of those opportunities, but the Yellow Jackets can now swing momentum fully in their favor before beginning the grind against their ACC slate in January.
Winning out before January, however, is no easy task. A road trip to Ohio to take on the Dayton Flyers (RPI 31) followed by a home game versus the Charlotte 49ers (RPI 50) awaits. If today's game is the start of a trend, there's no question the Jackets can compete. The question is, is it?
Other news and notes:
The Yellow Jackets struggled offensively in the first half, converting just 28% of their field goal attempts and struggling to find their rhythm against a variety of defensive sets from the visiting Commodores. For most of the half the Jackets defense was about as sharp as its offense, allowing Vanderbilt to convert 55% of their field goal tries, including three 3-pointers.
All in all a lackadaisical effort from the Yellow Jackets allowed the Commodores to go in to the halftime break up 33-25. The visitors from Nashville had control of the game and Tech had few, if any, answers.
The script flipped in the second half. Tempo and effort from the Jackets increased on both ends of the floor as well as in transition. The Yellow Jackets, who seem to struggle against any variation of zone defense, moved the ball efficiently on offense. Two quick 3-pointers out of the gate by Travis Jorgenson and Quinton Stephens pulled the Yellow Jackets within 4 before the first TV timeout.
The Yellow Jackets did not relent from there on out. During separate possessions both Jorgenson and Chris Bolden created their own shot and hit big mid-range jumpers as the Jackets took their first lead of the half with under 10 minutes to go.
Defensively Tech made hay by grabbing 4 steals, blocking 2 shots, and outrebounding Vanderbilt 21-13 during the second half. Two of those steals turned into poster-worthy slams on the other end of the court - the first by Charles Mitchell off a 2-on-1 feed from Jorgenson and the second by Robert Sampson, from Jorgenson again, that shot the McCamish Pavilion crowd to its feet.
In the end the Yellow Jackets did enough to slow down the Commodores and pick up their eighth win of the season. It was a big one that came at the right time. Not only should this win against a brand-name team build confidence during a non-conference schedule that has not presented many of those opportunities, but the Yellow Jackets can now swing momentum fully in their favor before beginning the grind against their ACC slate in January.
Winning out before January, however, is no easy task. A road trip to Ohio to take on the Dayton Flyers (RPI 31) followed by a home game versus the Charlotte 49ers (RPI 50) awaits. If today's game is the start of a trend, there's no question the Jackets can compete. The question is, is it?
Other news and notes:
- The Yellow Jackets outrebounded Vanderbilt 39-30 for the game. Of their 39 total rebounds, 20 came on the offensive glass.
- Tech finished the game with a 2:1 assist to turnover ratio. The Jackets had 14 assists to go with an impressive 7 turnovers for the game.
- After shooting just 28% in the first half, the Jackets shot 52% in the second on their way to 39% for the game. Beyond the arc was again unkind for the entirety of the game where Tech ended just 4 of 22.
- On the other side the roles were reversed in no small part to Tech's defensive intensity. After shooting 55% in the first half the Commodores shot just 39% in the second.
