Technical Tidbits 3/15: Georgia Tech Basketball is dancing

Before we dive into NCAA Tournament talk, it’s good to take a look back at the weekend’s basketball action. After Virginia had to withdraw from the ACC Tournament due to a positive COVID-19 test, Georgia Tech was slated to play either UNC or Florida State in the ACC Championship. The ‘Noles pulled off a close win against the Tar Heels, setting up a third matchup with the Jackets this season. The championship was tight throughout, with Georgia Tech taking advantage of 25 Seminole turnovers. PG Jose Alvarado had 5 steals, while tournament MVP Michael Devoe put up 20 points. This was a huge win, the fourth ACC Championship in Tech history and the first since 1993.

As a reward for their ACC Tournament victory, the NCAA gave Georgia Tech a first-round game against one of the most underrated teams in college basketball this season. Bolstered by Sister Jean, the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers are currently 24-4 and Missouri Valley Conference champions. They have one of the best defenses in the nation (55.5 OPPG) with a 40.7% opponent field goal percentage. According to ESPN’s BPI, the Ramblers are no. 23 in the nation (Tech is no. 35), and probably should have been a higher seed. None of that matters, though, as Josh Pastner & co. look to make the most of Tech’s first NCAA Tournament berth since 2010. Here’s the full tournament bracket, with times and network designations TBA.

This weekend was not as kind to the Georgia Tech Baseball team. They took one of three games against the Pittsburgh Panthers, breaking their ACC series-win streak of 12. Pittsburgh won the opening and closing games of the series, with Tech committing seven errors over the course of the two losses. On Friday, the Jackets lost 11-9, with a win coming on Saturday 5-3. Sunday afternoon’s game saw 30 combined runs, but Tech was blitzed by Pitt’s superior offensive production. Freshman C Kevin Parada continued his great season, going 8-14 at the plate on the weekend. Next up, the Beesball team has Georgia Southern at home on Wednesday (6 p.m. ET, ACCN).

All four of the athletes Georgia Tech sent to the NCAA Winter Track and Field Championships are coming back to Atlanta with All-American honors. The four, Nicole Fegans, Andrew Kent, Olivia Moore, and Cameron O’Neal won second-team designations for their performances. This is a big deal, and something they can carry to the spring seasons. Congratulations, Jackets!

It’s a big day for women’s college basketball. Georgia Tech is a 5-seed in the latest ESPN projection. Let’s hope for a good draw!

Question of the Day: Any early predictions for Friday’s game vs. Loyola?