Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets- Clemson Tigers Titanic Struggle

Posted on 22. Feb, 2009 by Corey in NCAA Basketball.

Good news for Georgia Tech Basketball fans and players. Your season is almost over.  The Clemson Tigers (22-4, 8-4 in ACC) erased a 15 point first half lead to defeat the Yellow Jackets 81-73 before 8,339 fans at Alexander Memorial Coliseum.  With the loss, Georgia Tech fell to 10-16 and just 1-12 in Atlantic Coast Conference.
The tide started to turn with a media timeout with 6:28 remaining in the first half and Georgia Tech leading 29-18.  Clemson would then go on an 11-0 run to tie the game and shortly take the lead before both teams headed to the locker room tied at 33.

Back to back jumpshots by K.C. Rivers to start the second half would give the Clemson Tigers a lead that they would hold onto the rest of the game.  Both teams shot the basketball at a 50.9% clip, but Clemson’s 12 made three point field goals led to the difference.

After the game, Georgia Tech Head Coach Paul Hewitt had this to say, “One of our goals was to hold them to six 3s. They made 12, and they outshot us at the free-throw line by two. That was the difference in the game. I don’t think the pressure bothered us at all. I thought our turnovers came after having a very smooth start and executing against the press to gain that big lead. It was just some miscues in the halfcourt.”

Both teams have some tough games remaining in the ACC before the Conference Tournament starts in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

GAME EXTRAS
-    UNIFORM ALERT:
o    Clemson wore their orange road Nike Uniforms trimmed in purple with typical Nike basketball shoes.  I do not wear a lot of orange myself, but I am a fan of the uniforms.
o    Georgia Tech could not figure out what to do with themselves, as they had on Russell uniforms, Nike Basketball shoes and played with The Rock basketball. Not a fan of the Russell jerseys or the gear they sold at the spirit stand.
-    Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets are nicknamed The Ramblin’ Wreck.
-    A little disappointed in “The Swarm,” the Georgia Tech student section.  A very poor turnout for a Sunday afternoon. I know the team is not doing so well, but that should NEVER stop a college student from attending a game.  There were tons more alumni, and tons more Clemson fans in the stands then GT students.
-    Largest cheer of the game came with 10:28 remaining in the first half when a foam piece of the basket support fell when a Georgia Tech player went up for a dunk.  A GT employee tried to lift a ball boy on his shoulders to replace the piece, but was to short.  The Tech Cheerleading squad came to the rescue as one of the girls was lifted into the air to place the piece back on.
-   Mellow Mushroom makes a great pizza, but they have a terrible in game contest.  Two random fans must dance at half court and the winner is decided by crowd applause.  I sat on my hands.
-    A Delta Airlines in game contest gave the winner 20,000 free skymiles.  Why wasn’t I picked for that one?
-    Only seven members of the Georgia Tech Gold Rush Dance Team were on hand for the halftime show. Good, but no National Championship Cincinnati Bearcats!
-    Jerai Grant of Clemson has some big shoes to fill in the family.
-    Thought the rules in the ACC might be different and the games were only 37 minutes, and not 40 when I saw the sparse crowd all get up and leave with still three minutes left on the game clock.
-    Congrats to my cousin Scott for winning a bet with a coworker on Tech keeping the game within 12.  Enjoy your free lunch and thanks again for the ticket!