Virginia Tech showing a little respect for Georgia Tech's Elder
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The popular theory as to why fifth-seed Georgia Tech is going to beat No. 4 Virginia Tech in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament - and some say win the whole thing - is the presence of senior guard B.J. Elder.
The Yellow Jackets (17-10, 8-8 ACC) are much better now than in January, when they were without Elder for nine games and lost five of them, including a 70-69 stunner to the Hokies (15-12, 8-8) in Atlanta. They are more stable at the guard position, play better defense and their post players are performing better with Elder in the lineup. That?s how the theory goes.
Virginia Tech doesn?t deny that the Yellow Jackets are different and probably better with Elder. But the Hokies feel like they?re better, too, and thus more prepared to handle a deeper Georgia Tech team at 2:30 p.m. today at the MCI Center.
?We play better defense than we did when we were down there,? senior forward Carlos Dixon said. ?We get into transition (defense) a lot better and we just play more as a team. Contesting shots, getting out of doubles (screens) quicker then in the past. Since that game, we?ve gotten a lot better at a lot of the things that we do.?
Virginia Tech?s win over the Yellow Jackets was the fourth in what turned out to be a five-game winning streak. The Hokies won only five more but turned in two of their best defensive efforts in a 67-65 win over Duke and a 71-58 victory over Miami.
?We know what each other is doing on the court and feed off each other,? said Jamon Gordon, who was voted All-ACC first-team defense. ?Certain people sit in the passing lanes and certain people wait for the offense to come. We talk a lot more than we did when we played the first time.?
Tech head coach Seth Greenberg thinks that his team?s improvement has more to do with the mental aspect rather than the physical.
?I think we believe in each other better,? Greenberg said. ?We know we belong now. We still had self-doubt then. We?re more mature and we have 13 more ACC games under our belt.?
The Hokies have played more mature, and Georgia Tech may not be that much better with Elder. Statistically, he?s scored in double figures in five of the last seven games. And he?s made the players around him better, especially center Luke Schenscher. Schenscher has two of his three double-doubles in the seven games since Elder?s been back, including an 11-point, 15-rebound performance in a crucial win over Clemson. But in the only category that really counts, that being wins and losses, the Yellow Jackets are only 4-3.
Regardless, Greenberg spent most of Thursday better acquainting himself with Elder and Georgia Tech. He dispatched his brother and associate head coach Brad to the MCI Center to watch games while he and the players remained at the hotel a few blocks away.
?I?ll just try to get myself organized mentally,? Greenberg said. ?I?ll have them (the games) on while I?m watching the (Georgia Tech) DVD on the computer. But I don?t want to be distracted.?
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The popular theory as to why fifth-seed Georgia Tech is going to beat No. 4 Virginia Tech in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament - and some say win the whole thing - is the presence of senior guard B.J. Elder.
The Yellow Jackets (17-10, 8-8 ACC) are much better now than in January, when they were without Elder for nine games and lost five of them, including a 70-69 stunner to the Hokies (15-12, 8-8) in Atlanta. They are more stable at the guard position, play better defense and their post players are performing better with Elder in the lineup. That?s how the theory goes.
Virginia Tech doesn?t deny that the Yellow Jackets are different and probably better with Elder. But the Hokies feel like they?re better, too, and thus more prepared to handle a deeper Georgia Tech team at 2:30 p.m. today at the MCI Center.
?We play better defense than we did when we were down there,? senior forward Carlos Dixon said. ?We get into transition (defense) a lot better and we just play more as a team. Contesting shots, getting out of doubles (screens) quicker then in the past. Since that game, we?ve gotten a lot better at a lot of the things that we do.?
Virginia Tech?s win over the Yellow Jackets was the fourth in what turned out to be a five-game winning streak. The Hokies won only five more but turned in two of their best defensive efforts in a 67-65 win over Duke and a 71-58 victory over Miami.
?We know what each other is doing on the court and feed off each other,? said Jamon Gordon, who was voted All-ACC first-team defense. ?Certain people sit in the passing lanes and certain people wait for the offense to come. We talk a lot more than we did when we played the first time.?
Tech head coach Seth Greenberg thinks that his team?s improvement has more to do with the mental aspect rather than the physical.
?I think we believe in each other better,? Greenberg said. ?We know we belong now. We still had self-doubt then. We?re more mature and we have 13 more ACC games under our belt.?
The Hokies have played more mature, and Georgia Tech may not be that much better with Elder. Statistically, he?s scored in double figures in five of the last seven games. And he?s made the players around him better, especially center Luke Schenscher. Schenscher has two of his three double-doubles in the seven games since Elder?s been back, including an 11-point, 15-rebound performance in a crucial win over Clemson. But in the only category that really counts, that being wins and losses, the Yellow Jackets are only 4-3.
Regardless, Greenberg spent most of Thursday better acquainting himself with Elder and Georgia Tech. He dispatched his brother and associate head coach Brad to the MCI Center to watch games while he and the players remained at the hotel a few blocks away.
?I?ll just try to get myself organized mentally,? Greenberg said. ?I?ll have them (the games) on while I?m watching the (Georgia Tech) DVD on the computer. But I don?t want to be distracted.?
