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ATLANTA, GA – In a season defined by fits and starts, Saturday’s performance by Georgia Tech fit the script once again. During three different 4+ minute stretches the Yellow Jackets were held scoreless. They started the second half on a 15-2 run. In the end the Jackets fell victim to another unsettling trend, losing its 10th ACC game by 7 points or less, this time by a final score of 57-53 to Florida State.
“It’s a bitter pill to swallow. There’s no doubt about it with some of the efforts we've given,” said head coach Brian Gregory following the game.
Looking at today’s loss Tech has no one to blame but themselves. The Jackets were undone during closing time, allowing Florida State to close out both halves on 9-0 runs.
Reflecting on the Seminoles' first half run Gregory offered that “it was the only four minutes that we didn't play with the physicality, toughness, and intensity level that you need to play with when you play a Florida State team.”
During the latter half the Jackets were unable to take advantage of two scoring opportunities that could have altered the outcome of the game. The first was Chris Bolden's uncontested 3-point attempt that ricocheted off the rim with 28 seconds to go and Tech down one. The second was Marcus Georges-Hunt's trip to the line for a 1-and-1, with Tech down two, and a chance to tie the game with 8 seconds left. He missed the front end.
Following a Georgia Tech foul and two successful Seminoles free throws, the game was out of reach and the Jackets were downed by four.
It’s logical to wonder whether the bevy of close losses has affected the psyche of the team. “I don’t think you can go through the nine times that we went through in the league and not have that. I think that’s human nature,” said Gregory. “I don’t think there’s any question that it’s weighing on the guys.”
Despite the challenges and momentary blips in production, there were some positives. Tech showed an ability to capitalize on Florida State’s mistakes by pushing the ball in transition, finishing the game with 19 fast break points (compared to the Seminoles 10) and scored 19 points off turnovers (compared to the Seminoles 4). The Jackets were also +7 in turnovers.
But again, as has been the case too often, the flashes were not enough to overcome incessant inconsistency. “You got to stick together and keep your heads up," said Georges-Hunt. "We’re fighting, we’re in every game. We’re in every single game. We just got to do a better job closing.”
“It’s a bitter pill to swallow. There’s no doubt about it with some of the efforts we've given,” said head coach Brian Gregory following the game.
Looking at today’s loss Tech has no one to blame but themselves. The Jackets were undone during closing time, allowing Florida State to close out both halves on 9-0 runs.
Reflecting on the Seminoles' first half run Gregory offered that “it was the only four minutes that we didn't play with the physicality, toughness, and intensity level that you need to play with when you play a Florida State team.”
During the latter half the Jackets were unable to take advantage of two scoring opportunities that could have altered the outcome of the game. The first was Chris Bolden's uncontested 3-point attempt that ricocheted off the rim with 28 seconds to go and Tech down one. The second was Marcus Georges-Hunt's trip to the line for a 1-and-1, with Tech down two, and a chance to tie the game with 8 seconds left. He missed the front end.
Following a Georgia Tech foul and two successful Seminoles free throws, the game was out of reach and the Jackets were downed by four.
It’s logical to wonder whether the bevy of close losses has affected the psyche of the team. “I don’t think you can go through the nine times that we went through in the league and not have that. I think that’s human nature,” said Gregory. “I don’t think there’s any question that it’s weighing on the guys.”
Despite the challenges and momentary blips in production, there were some positives. Tech showed an ability to capitalize on Florida State’s mistakes by pushing the ball in transition, finishing the game with 19 fast break points (compared to the Seminoles 10) and scored 19 points off turnovers (compared to the Seminoles 4). The Jackets were also +7 in turnovers.
But again, as has been the case too often, the flashes were not enough to overcome incessant inconsistency. “You got to stick together and keep your heads up," said Georges-Hunt. "We’re fighting, we’re in every game. We’re in every single game. We just got to do a better job closing.”
