Without Turnovers, Alvarado Thinks GT Is A Championship Team
It is no surprise at this point in the season of what is holding the Yellow Jackets back from being a cut above the rest of the ACC. Even with the noticeable improvements in overall team play since the return of point guard Jose Alvarado and forward Jordan Usher, what still is haunting the Jackets is their inability to take care of the basketball.
After committing 18 turnovers last night against the Virginia Cavaliers, Georgia Tech is now averaging 16.8 per game. That mark is "good" for 336th in all of Division I, and is second worst among the major college basketball conferences (P5, Big East & AAC). Only the Memphis Tigers turn the ball over at a higher clip (17.2) among those conferences.
The team is well aware of their turnovers woes this season, and have been diligently trying to correct it. Considering how the Jackets have progressed over the last month in every other facet of their game, turnovers could be what holds them back from being an NCAA Tournament team.
Alvarado certainly seems to think so.
"I'll tell you one thing, we take out our turnovers and Georgia Tech would be a championship team," he said.
Tech has now suffered back-to-back home losses by just two possessions, with turnovers being a key factor in both losses. The junior point guard from Brooklyn is frustrated with how they have taken care of the ball, but is determined to change it.
"We play so hard. I'm so tired of just coming short," he said. We're gonna step our game up and try and get on a winning streak."
If the Jackets plan on correcting their turnovers woes sooner rather than later, just maybe they can save their season and make a run for the tournament.
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