On Thursday, we got a rare weekday afternoon start in Georgia Tech/Boston College. The two teams put on a decent show as both scored quite efficiently and gave us late game heroics. Down 1, Olivier Hanlan hit a tough pullup jumper on the baseline to give Boston College the lead with 3.4 seconds left. After the bucket, Steve Donahue called a timeout to set up his defense (for some reason). Georgia Tech passed it in to Marcus Georges-Hunt who not only was fouled by BC (for some reason) but hit a 3 point shot. The 4 point play gave Georgia Tech a 74-71 lead with just .7 seconds left. A Joe Rahon heave at the rim missed and the Yellow Jackets won 74-71.
So, why call a timeout after you take the lead late? Jamie Dixon had done the exact same thing in Pitt's loss to Syracuse and we see where that got him. In fact, the situation was virtually identical. Both teams were up 1 with between 3-5 seconds left, although Pitt was at home while BC was on the road. The basketball logic behind the timeout, if there is one, is that you want to setup your defense. Common sense says that the offense will get the same opportunity. Either way, the guys at BC Interruption aren't happy with the result (note that lack of D with regards to BC)...
An then the bottom falls out. onahue inexplicably calls a timeout to set up the Eagles efense. This also allowe Georgia Tech to raw up an inboun s play for the last secon heave. Georgia Tech, min you, is out of timeouts.
On the ensuing inboun s play, Corey Heyward fin s Marcus Georges-Hunt, who races up the court, stops, rains a three pointer an gets foule by Lonnie Jackson for goo measure. Georges-Hunt rains the free throw, BC inboun s an Joe Rahon airballs a esperation three for the tie.
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And ... that will do it for Steve Donahue as head coach of the men's basketball team. No amount of "but he's a nice guy" or "a healthy Dennis Clifford wins BC 20 games this year" will be enough to bring the fourth year Eagles coach back at the end of the season. We've simply reached the point of no return.
Donahue gambled and lost on setting up this year's non-conference schedule. The next two years worth of recruiting classes are barren. Now we have a prime example of a game he threw away trying to be the smartest guy in the room.
That pretty much sums up things for Boston College.
No ACC games on the schedule tonight, but you shouldn't be watching basketball anyway. It's Valentine's Day after all. If you do have a chance to watch a game tonight, check out Arizona @ Arizona State at 9 ET. That one should be a good one.
View more predictions at NCAAGameSim.com
Highlights
| Team | Conf | Pct | Overall | Pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse | 11-0 | 1.000 | 24-0 | 1.000 |
| Virginia | 11-1 | 0.917 | 20-5 | 0.800 |
| Duke | 8-3 | 0.727 | 19-5 | 0.792 |
| Pittsburgh | 8-4 | 0.667 | 20-5 | 0.800 |
| UNC | 6-4 | 0.600 | 16-7 | 0.696 |
| NC State | 6-5 | 0.545 | 16-8 | 0.667 |
| Clemson | 6-5 | 0.545 | 15-8 | 0.652 |
| Maryland | 6-6 | 0.500 | 14-11 | 0.560 |
| FSU | 5-7 | 0.417 | 14-10 | 0.583 |
| Wake Forest | 4-7 | 0.364 | 14-10 | 0.583 |
| Georgia Tech | 4-8 | 0.333 | 13-12 | 0.520 |
| Notre Dame | 4-8 | 0.333 | 13-12 | 0.520 |
| Miami | 3-8 | 0.273 | 12-12 | 0.500 |
| Boston College | 2-9 | 0.182 | 7-17 | 0.292 |
| Virginia Tech | 1-10 | 0.091 | 8-15 | 0.348 |
Links
- Pittsburgh Panthers make long trip in bad weather to play UNC
- Note to UNC: Change the seating
- Parker Named to Naismith Midseason Top 30 List
- U.Va.'s solid play carries the day in weakened ACC
- Vice President Joe Biden calls Tyler Ennis to congratulate him on game-winning shot
- Fresh off its thrilling win at Pittsburgh, Syracuse hosts North Carolina State next: The Look Ahead
- Group decisions lead to ACC postponements
- Pitt Basketball: Can All These Close Games Aid Panthers Down The Stretch?
- ACC Power Poll: Syracuse surviving at the top
Yesterday's Games
| Matchup | |
|---|---|
| Boston College 71 @ Georgia Tech 74 | Box |
Today's Games
| Time | Matchup | TV | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No Games on the Schedule | |||
 Injury Report |
|---|
| Darryl Hicks (BC) |
| Out - knee surgery, is expected to miss the entire season |
| Dennis Clifford (BC) |
| Out - sprained ankle, will miss the remainder of the season |
| Patrick Rooks (CL) |
| Out - hip surgery, will miss the entire season |
| Jason Morris (GT) |
| Out - foot, is expected to miss the remainder of the season |
| Solomon Poole (GT) |
| Out - disciplinary, was dismissed from the team |
| Travis Jorgenson (GT) |
| Out - right knee surgery, will miss the remainder of the season |
| Jake Layman (MD) |
| Questionable - blurred vision, is questionable for Saturday's game against Duke |
| Shaquille Cleare (MD) |
| Doubtful - sprained left shoulder, is doubtful for Saturday's game against Duke |
| Deandre Burnett (MI) |
| Out - left wrist surgery, will miss the entire season |
| PJ Hairston (NC) |
| Suspended - legal/disciplinary, will miss the entire season |
| Austin Torres (ND) |
| Out - knee surgery, will miss the entire season |
| Demetrius Jackson (ND) |
| Doubtful - academics, is doubtful for Sunday's game against Boston College |
| Eric Katenda (ND) |
| Out - sprained knee, is out indefinitely |
| Garrick Sherman (ND) |
| Probable - chipped bone in right hand, is probable for Sunday's game against Boston College |
| Jerian Grant (ND) |
| Out - academics, will miss the remainder of the season |
| Durand Johnson (PI) |
| Out - knee surgery, will miss the remainder of the season |
| Baye Keita (SY) |
| Questionable - sprained right knee, is questionable for Saturday's game against North Carolina State |
| DaJuan Coleman (SY) |
| Out - bone bruise in left knee, will miss the remainder of the season |
| Adam Smith (VT) |
| Out - stress fracture in left fibula/strained left calf, will miss at least 2-3 weeks |
| CJ Barksdale (VT) |
| Out - strained groin, is out indefinitely |
| Malik Mueller (VT) |
| Out - academics, will miss the entire season |
| Marquis Rankin (VT) |
| Out - personal, has left the team |
| Marshall Wood (VT) |
| Questionable - illness, is questionable for Saturday's game against Miami-FL |
