Jackets Continue The Slide

Long string of losses goes on, with no obvious aswers in sight.

This time it was NC State. This time it was on the road. This time it was a flurry of turnovers and a late cold spell that led to Tech’s 9th loss in a row. But those details are beginning to blur. On the road or at home, against teams strong and weak, the Yellow Jackets have become bogged down in a deep dark ditch. Without specific concern to whom they play, or where, Tech regularly shows poor shooting, a minimal post presence, spotty guard play and weak free- throw shooting on their way to the next L. As in laborious.

The last Tech win was over a month ago- January 4 to be exact- against Miami. Since then, nine games have brought nine losses. Sure, some are more painfully memorable than others. The overtime loss to then ACC- winless Notre Dame comes to mind. Or how about when Duke doubled up Tech at McCamish, 86-43? Then there’s the 10 point loss to a Louisville team that was 2-19, with an oh-fer in the ACC at the time.

Josh Pastner , Tech’s irrepressible head coach sums it up concisely. “Losing stinks”, said Pastner last week. Who can disagree with that? Pastner is as earnest as you’ll find in the NCAA Division I coaching ranks. He comes across as authentic and forthright. Which is a big reason his Yellow Jackets are still playing hard for him. After all, nobody came here to find themselves buried in the ACC cellar.

But personality aside, Pastner did predict good things for this team, largely because he believed they would be a good- shooting team. That particular judgment on this particular team has been as errant as the all-too-frequent 3 point attempt launched desperately from 5 feet outside the arc at the 29 second mark of another helter-skelter Tech possession.

Maybe tonight. Notre Dame is in town. This might be Tech’s last real chance to win another ACC game this year. And with a new AD on board, that does not portend well for Pastner’ s future at Georgia Tech.

Patrick Conarro

RamblinSports.com

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