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Georgia Tech Basketball: Jackets Fall to Pittsburgh in First Round of ACC Tournament

By Dylan Callaghan-Croley

Mar 7, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets guard Tadric Jackson (1) drives against Pittsburgh Panthers guard Cameron Johnson (23) during the first half of an ACC Conference Tournament game at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 7, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets guard Tadric Jackson (1) drives against Pittsburgh Panthers guard Cameron Johnson (23) during the first half of an ACC Conference Tournament game at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets fell to Pittsburgh Panthers in the first round of the ACC Tournament on Tuesday night.

Despite having three players hit double-digit points, including Tadric Jackson’s 17-point effort, Georgia Tech fell to Pittsburgh on Tuesday night 61-59 in the opening round of the ACC Tournament.

The story of the game for the Yellow Jackets on Tuesday night was a slow start. Slow starts plagued the Yellow Jackets throughout the regular season at times and Tuesday night was no different. At one point in the first half, the Jackets missed five consecutive free throws, which in the end could’ve won them the game.

That being said, overall it wasn’t a pretty game for the Jackets especially offensively as Josh Pastner said after the game.

Georgia Tech players that struggled shooting wise on Tuesday included Josh Heath and Ben Lammers who shot just 5-for-16 combined for a total of 11 points. Lammers was one player that the Yellow Jackets needed a big game from on Tuesday to have a strong chance to win.

For Pittsburgh, all four of their starting seniors scored double-digit points, contributing 36 of the Panthers 61 total points. Both Sheldon Jeter and Jamel Artis came close to having double-doubles, bringing down eight and nine rebounds respectively.

The most questionable play in the game, however, came down to the final seconds. Josh Okogie went to the line for the Jackets with 2.2 seconds remaining and down two. In most situations, this would call for an intentional missed free throw in hopes of getting the rebound to tie the game or win the game. Okogie, however, made the field despite it Josh Pastner appearing to tell the freshman to miss the shot.

In the end, the loss can’t be blamed on Okogie or any one player. The Jackets struggles throughout the season have come collectively as a whole. Tuesday night’s loss to Pittsburgh was no different.

The loss to Pittsburgh on Tuesday night officially crushes the Yellow Jackets NCAA tournament dreams. In the meantime, Georgia Tech will have to sit back and wait, hoping to get a bid to the NIT tournament.

The Pittsburgh Panthers own NCAA tournament hopes rely on them winning the ACC tournament. The next team in the way for the Panthers is Virginia, the sixth seed in the tournament.