It has not been a pretty start for Georgia Tech in conference play. The Yellow Jackets are 0-3 in the ACC with all losses coming by double digits to North Carolina, Clemson, and Virginia. 

So what has been the biggest problem for Georgia Tech in this 0-3 start?

While there are a number of things to point to, there is one in particular that has been glaring in each ACC defeat so far this season for Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets have been close in games against the Tar Heels, Tigers, and Cavaliers, but they have given up monster runs in all three games. The runs have come in the first half and bled into the second half and they have been 18-2, 25-3, and 11-0 runs to knock Georgia Tech out of the game entirely. 

When addressing the media on Tuesday afternoon, Georgia Tech head coach Josh Pastner talked about this issue and gave a lengthy explanation: 

"The biggest thing when you look at our three games and I said this last night on the radio show, our three biggest issues when you look at our games in ACC play we are 0-3. Vs North Carolina, with three minutes and 20 seconds to go in the first half, it was 28-26... it was 3:19 to be exact, 28-26 North Carolina, they are up by two and they go on an 11-0 run to end the half. You take out that 3:19, in the 36 minutes and 41 seconds, they have a plus five advantage, it is that three minutes and 19 seconds.

Against Clemson, with 14:35, we are leading 14-10 and over the next six minutes and 19 seconds... excuse me, over the next eight minutes and 16 seconds, we did not score a single point until six minutes and 19 seconds on the game clock, which puts us at 28-15, that's eight minutes and 16 seconds Clemson was on an 18-2 run. Outside of that, if you take out that, we were plus three or something against Clemson.

Virginia, you look at it, we had it at 1:58 to go in the first half and we did not score our next point until 14:41 in the second half, which is seven minutes and 37 seconds and during that time, they went on a 25-3 run. You look at the other 32 minutes and whatever, we were plus four or plus six or something like that in the game.

That was eight minutes and 20 seconds against Clemson, seven and a half minutes against Virginia, and three minutes and 20 seconds against North Carolina wide rowing three. Yes, that is part of the game, that is why you play 40 minutes, but our issue in those three games, and look everyone knows you are going to have stretches where things are not going to go well, it is our stretches in those small segments where the water breaks and there is a flood and it just spirals quickly down that stretch.

That is the number one issue in those three games, is how do we not let the pipes break? There can be a drip and a little leak, but we just can't be having it where it just gets flooded and that has to be corrected. Ok, so you say, what is that solution, because I am a solution-focused individual. There are a lot of things we have to look at.

No. 1, we have looked at who is on the floor during those times. No. 2, you know obviously vs Virginia, we had a lot of turnovers and you are not getting shots at the rim. No. 3, are there actions that we need to call when we need a bucket and when we sense it, that we just call it to get us a bucket or to at least get us fouled and where we have to do something differently at least to stop the bleeding and to stop the pipes breaking. No. 4, I like to have a timeout or two later in the game for the sole reason of you never know when you need press breaks, but you never know when you'll have to call or use all four timeouts, use every timeout the second you see that coming, you know or at least use one or two if we had to in that initial stretch.

So all things are on the table, we are dissecting it, looking at it, trying to make amends for it and you know in those three ACC games... again, I recognize it is a 40-minute game, yes you are not going to play perfect for 40 minutes, yes there is going to be stretches where it is a game of runs, it is the runs are becoming 25-3, 18-2, and 11-0. There could be a run where it is 12-6, 13-9, 10-3, but 25-3, 18-2, and 11-0 are just where the pipes break and it is flooded. Then, we stabilize and we are fine after that, but it is during when those pipes break and that is a problem and that has to be corrected."

The Yellow Jackets have to avoid these types of runs if they want to have any shot of upsetting No. 12 Miami at home on Wednesday. The Hurricanes have one of the best offenses in the ACC and the country and Georgia Tech can't afford to give up a big run to such a potent team. 

Georgia Tech and Miami will tip off tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. in Atlanta and will be televised on the ACC Regional Network. 

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