MBB: GT @ UT-Chattanooga

[cspan37421]

Just got back from seeing Ga Tech crush UTC. Yet it was an ugly game on Tech's part too. My impression was that, for all their talent, they're undisciplined. They committed several fouls in the backcourt (they pressed most of the game) and committed 19 turnovers. They also put on a hot-dog dunk show in warmups, one I don't think K would go for. But I could be wrong. Just my impression that K would say "save it for the game" and/or "if you're going to hot dog like that, you'd better make it."

Favors looked solid, but far from unstoppable. Tech had a two guys that I thought may be sons of players from my era - one named Brian Oliver, the other, Glen Rice. Am I remembering right that the Wreck had a Brian Oliver in the mid 1980s? Based on his bio, it appears this was a different Brian Oliver. But Glen Rice is the son of the former Michigan and NBA shooter, and this kid could stroke it (his YTD stats prior to this game are subpar, though - so it remains to be seen if he can hit the 3 against good defense). He also often lost his guy on defense.

[jipops]

Just got back from seeing Ga Tech crush UTC. Yet it was an ugly game on Tech's part too. My impression was that, for all their talent, they're undisciplined. They committed several fouls in the backcourt (they pressed most of the game) and committed 19 turnovers. They also put on a hot-dog dunk show in warmups, one I don't think K would go for. But I could be wrong. Just my impression that K would say "save it for the game" and/or "if you're going to hot dog like that, you'd better make it."

Favors looked solid, but far from unstoppable. Tech had a two guys that I thought may be sons of players from my era - one named Brian Oliver, the other, Glen Rice. Am I remembering right that the Wreck had a Brian Oliver in the mid 1980s? Based on his bio, it appears this was a different Brian Oliver. But Glen Rice is the son of the former Michigan and NBA shooter, and this kid could stroke it (his YTD stats prior to this game are subpar, though - so it remains to be seen if he can hit the 3 against good defense). He also often lost his guy on defense.

Brian Oliver was part of Lethal Weapon 3 which made the Final 4 in 1990. I have no idea if this Brian Oliver is related.

[gotoguy]

He's not related.

[riverside6]

right, not related.

for those that didn't see the game, here's our enhanced box score (http://www.scacchoops.com/ViewHDGame.asp?hSchedule=3693).

Most impressive was Gani Lawal who went 8-8 and made 19 trips to the free throw line (making 13). Lawal finished with 29 pts and 7 rebs in just 17 minutes of action. That is doing work.

I think what sets this Georgia Tech team apart from prior seasons is their ability to put the ball in the basket. Georgia Tech shot 61% from the field in the win.

[cspan37421]

An couple of interesting sequences involved Zach Peacock. Early in the game, there was a loose ball around midcourt along with a couple bodies, and UTC's diminutive point guard Keegan Bell (a Vandy transfer) dove on the ground for it, landing on the back of the legs of Zach Peacock. Peacock got up a bit gimpy, but continued.

After each team had another possession, Bell was bringing up the ball for UTC and Peacock, trailing the action and coming up from behind, accidentally/on-purpose tripped and fell onto Bell's legs from behind - kind of like, what do they call it, a crackback block in football? Bell went down but was not hurt. Peacock didn't return, though. No idea what his status is.

Later in the game there was an intentional foul (takedown) against GT when UTC had a breakaway. Now, GT had a big lead at this point and it was, IIRC, past the midpoint of the second half. Totally unnecessary, IMO. I don't think a disciplined team bothers with that kind of stuff. They play physical, but that's not why they won.

[Duke79UNLV77]

Lawal was absolutely dominant against the physically overmatched UTC frontline. I suspect he will be very good, but not dominant, against ACC competition.

I also thought Favors was pretty solid, but certainly not the second coming of Dwight Howard at this point. Beyond the fact that he still needs to develop his skills, he does not seem to have as broad a frame as Howard. Still, he and Lawal are a tough combo.

One thing for which I have to give Tech is their making a concerted effort to feed the post. This has become a bit of a lost art in college basketball, and is an area where Duke needs to improve. Lawal's numbers in less than 20 minutes of action show that he got the ball down the low time and time again.