Ahead of Syracuse’s (11-4, 2-0 Atlantic Coast) matchup with Georgia Tech (9-6, 1-1) on Saturday in the Carrier Dome, we connected with Ken Sugiura. Sugiura, a Georgia Tech beat writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, addressed the game this weekend, the direction of the Yellow Jackets program, and offered a way in which Georgia Tech could pull off the road win.  

The Daily Orange: What did you learn from Georgia Tech’s near-upset against Virginia Tech? What does that outcome mean for the team right now?

Ken Sugiura: Going into the game, Georgia Tech was 1-5 against teams in the RPI top 150 and had often struggled to score, but then won three games in a row with highly efficient offense, including a 92-79 win over Wake Forest in its ACC opener. So, the question was, is this team actually getting better, or just doing well against weak competition. The Jackets lost at home 52-49 to No. 9 Virginia Tech. The Jackets led 49-47 late but then went empty on their final six possessions. Georgia Tech also held Virginia Tech, which is one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the country, to 5-for-27 shooting (19 percent).

What I draw from the game is that Georgia Tech is a legitimately strong defensive team, but also one that likely is fairly suspect offensively.

The D.O.: This is Josh Pastner’s third season as head coach. Broadly, where do you see the program in year three?

K.S.: Pastner’s mantra throughout his time has been “get old and stay old,” meaning the plan to win was to develop players and then win with them when they’re juniors and seniors, following the templates set by Notre Dame and Virginia. Tech had immediate success, going to the NIT final in Pastner’s first year, but that was with inherited juniors and seniors. The core of the team is now freshmen and sophomores and not yet to the “old” phase. Next year will be telling.

The D.O.: Among fans, what’s the general sense of the job he’s done, and where can this team can go in 2019?

K.S.: It’s hard to say. The team isn’t winning as much as fans would like, and a second consecutive year under .500 it’s possible. Given that Tech hasn’t been to the NCAA tournament since 2010, it’s hard for some fans to be patient. It doesn’t help that the 2019 signing class isn’t overwhelming. As for this year, if the Jackets somehow get to the NIT, perhaps by going .500 in league play to get to 17-14 (though that might not be enough), that would be impressive.

The D.O.: What is Georgia Tech’s greatest strength? Where do you think GT could thrive Saturday against Syracuse?

K.S.: Tech plays pretty solid defense. They use a mix of a 1-3-1 zone and man defense to throw teams off. The Jackets are ranked 18th in defensive efficiency, per KenPom. They challenge shots, play with effort and use their length to deflect balls. If Georgia Tech is to stay in the game, it’s going to be keeping Syracuse out of transition and frustrating the Orange on offense and hoping to scrape together enough points against the Syracuse zone.

The D.O.: Who do you think wins Saturday, and why?

K.S.: The Jackets haven’t been very good on the road, and Syracuse plays really tough defense. That’s not a hopeful combination for Georgia Tech. I suspect it’ll be a low-scoring game, and Syracuse gets enough points off turnovers to make the difference.

The D.O.: Anything else you’d like to add?

K.S.: Georgia Tech has two New York kids on the roster. Point guard Jose Alvarado is from Brooklyn and forward Khalid Moore is from Briarwood. The Jackets are 2-16 in road ACC games in Pastner’s first two seasons.

Published on January 11, 2019 at 7:57 pm