Game blog: 12th seed GT upsets 5th seed Clemson
Georgia Tech vs. Clemson
Mar 12, 2009
Update: 4:48 12th seed GT upsets 5th seed
Sorry about the delay-computer trouble prevented the timely posting of my final report. Georgia Tech, which was 2-14 during the regular season, just upset the 19th ranked team in the country. Tech got great performances from Lewis Clinch, Gani Lawal, and Alade Aminu. The Jackets shot 60% in the second half. Clemson had a poor day defensively by its standards. I continue to be amazed by the failure of the fifth seed in this event. The fifth seed is now just 27-56 in this tournament and incredibly, has lost to the twelvth seed three times in the four meetings since expansion. And again, the fifth seed still has not EVER won this tournament. It'll be interesting to see if Tech has anything left for Florida State tomorrow.
Update: 4:22 GT 84-81
Andre Young just hit a three for Clemson. The Tigers are down three with 7.5 seconds left. Not sure which is the more powerful force-Tech's tendency to self destruct or the ineptness of the #5 seed.
Update: 4:19pm GT 82-78
Clemson got another three by Oglesby. Then Tech turned it over. But Booker just missed two free throws. Huge.
Update: 4:16 GT 79-75.
Tech continues to have success taking the ball to the basket. Clemson just got a three by Oglesby, which keeps the Tigers alive but barely. The crowd noise is picking up!
Update: 4:05pm GT 70-60.
Tech leads by ten with just over five left. If things are to unravel for Tech as they always seem to, this is the time. But Gani Lawal just made a dunk off a loose ball rebound. Tech is due and this may be the day.
Update: 3:57 GT 67-58.
Andre Young just made a critical three for Clemson right before the under eight time out to bring the Tigers back within nine. They had falled twelve points down. I continue to be amazed by the black cloud that always seems to hover over the five seed. Tech is shooting 56%.
Update: 3:53: GT 62-55
Could be coincidence, but since Jerai Grant picked up his third foul, GT's Alade Aminu and Gani Lawal have taken over inside,-two buckets each. And there's a drive by Iman Shupert. The Tigers are in trouble.
Update: 3:46 Game blog: Role reversal 54-51.
The teams have reversed roles a big. Tech just put on a fullcourt press and forced a Clemson turnover And the Tigers are the poor free throw shooting team-4 of 9. Usually that's Tech's undoing. Attendance is listed as 26,532 for today's afternoon session. There do seem to be quite a few empty seats, especially upstairs.
Update: 338 Under 16 time out, Clemson down 3.
Clemson still trails af the under 16 time out. Tech is doing a nice job against the Tigers pressure. Gani Lawal just went back door on Booker. Lewis Clinch has 21 for Tech.
Update: 3:29: GT 44 Clemson 39
The Tech band is playing "Gold and White," a song familiar to ACC fans who watched the Jackets win this tourney in 1990 and 1993. GT has surged to a five point lead, forcing Clemson to call a time out. Tech shot 52 % in the first half and held a 19-15 edge under the boards. Clemson hasn't played poorly, but needs more bite out of its press, in both the fullcourt and halfcourt.
Update:326: Game blog: Lots of orange and gold.
Clemson has a good crowd wearing orange. GT has lots of fans, too, which you'd expect in Atlant.a There don't seem to be many fans from other teams at the moment. Oops, the second half is beginning.
Update 3:10 Game blog: 39-39 at halftime.
Both teams squandered a chance to break the tie on their final possession. Lewis Clinch has 15 for Tech. Tanner Smith has had a nice game for Clemson off the bench. He has 10. Remember, Tech is the 12 seed, but in this event, the 12 always seems to compete very favorably with the 5 seed.
Update 3:01: Game blog: Close game at the under four. 32-31
Clemson just got two really nice drives-one by the underrated Demontez Stitt; the other by Tanner Smith. Georgia Tech settled for jumpers its last several trips down the floor. The Jackets are shooting 46% and making their free throws, so the game remains close.
Update 2:52 pm: Game blog: Clemson surges ahead.
Clemson's Terrence Oglesby just hit a big three to give the Tigers a 24-21 lead right beore the under eight time out. Clemson was just one of seven from three before Oglesby's swisher. GT is 4 of 6 from the FT line-above its paltry season average at the line.
Update 2:44pm Clemson closes in 17-15
Clemson has closed to within two, thanks to better shot selection and help from its defense. This is a ball game. Just saw Miami Coach Frank Haith walk by on press row. His trip to Atlanta certainly was a short one.
Update 2:38pm: The press
Clemson has turned up the heat. Paul Hewitt had to call a time out to avoid a ten second call.
Update 2:31 Game blog: first time out
Ok, we just took the under 16 time out. Clemson has started slowly, typical of the five seed going back through the history of this tournament. The Tigers just got a big three ball from Tanner Smith. That seemed to give them some life. Clemson needs to score to set up its press. GT is attacking inside effectively.
Upate: 2:22pm
This game just tipped off-about eight minutes early. At least Miami didn't foul when the Canes were down 20. Much different start to game two. Booker had a nice dunk and Clinch countered with a jumper.
Update 2:16pm:
I'm just looking at the stats from the first game. Miami was dreadful-shooting just 34%. Maybe the Canes' uninspired play and the one-sidedness of VT's win took the life out of the Georgia Dome. It sure is quiet in here.
Update 2:07pm
There are more empty seats than at ACC Tournament I've ever attended. It's fortunate that I'm sitting close to the Georgia Tech band. Otherwise, I would not be feelng any semblance of atmposhere.
Update 2:00pm - Getting ready for game two:
Clemson faces long odds this week and not just because the Tigers must play Georgia Tech in Atlanta. The crowd in the Georgia Dome should be balanced between orange and gold. Clemson's problem: The Tigers are the fifth seed. The fifth seed has NEVER won the tournament in the 55 year history of this event. The sixth seed has won an amazing five times! The fourth seed has won five times. But not the fifth. The fifth seed in fact has a paltry record in the early rounds, having been one and done an incredible 31 times. The fifth seeds overall record is just 27-55. Here's the kicker-in the days since expansion, the fifth seed is just 1-2 against the #12!
Clemson is the fifth seed going against Georgia Tech the twelfth seed in just a few minutes. I'll be doing a live blog on the game and very much look forward to it.
