Technical Tidbits 3/2

A strong team effort from the Jackets was not quite enough to extend the winning streak to five games at the expense of Louisville on Tuesday night; the Jackets fell by a final score of 56-53 at the hands of the No. 11 Cardinals on the road. Georgia Tech, now 17-13 overall and 7-10 within the ACC, was denied a shot at finishing at .500 in the ACC for yet another consecutive season, this time in heartbreaking fashion. Like it or not, there was a lot more on the line this time around then in years past -- the loss all but eliminates Tech from NCAA Tournament consideration (barring a phenomenal ACC Tournament victory and a win over Pittsburgh on Saturday). There's plenty to be upset about following a loss like that, but the team's effort is certainly not one of those things. They battled from start to finish, erasing an eleven-point deficit to get a shot a game-tying three with just seconds left in regulation while playing in one of the most hostile environments in the nation.

The Georgia Tech baseball team rode a strong offensive performance to a perfect 8-0 start to the season in their impressive 11-6 win over the Georgia State Panthers last night. While the team's resume clearly lacks a victory over a top-tier team at this juncture, the season's first option for a statement win is lurking just around the corner: the Jackets will face off with Auburn and Florida State next week after a three-game set with Western Carolina this weekend. Though at least one poll has the Jackets ranked at No. 13, the rest seem unconvinced so far; we really can't fault them for that at this point. All there is to know at this point is that the team is 8-0 for the first time in a long time. The last time the Jackets started with that mark? The 2005-2006 season, which happens to be Tech's last trip to the College World Series.

College football fans are strange creatures, particularly when it comes to choosing which team you hate. In that link, which features a map of the most-hated college football teams in each of the fifty states, there are some very interesting conclusions (to say the least), with some of the most popular schools in each state also somehow grading out as the most hated in that state. Georgia, Texas, and California really stand out, with UGA, Texas, and USC being the most hated (and presumably the most beloved) in each of those states, respectively. We also learned that Iowa State fans are self-loathing, as are Kentucky fans. Can we really blame either one of them?

Would you be content with a trip to the NIT this postseason? Do the Jackets have any chance of winning the ACC Tournament?