Georgia Tech Smashes Coronavirus Piñata to Celebrate Road Win
Just another way this college basketball season is bizarre
In Josh Pastner’s first two seasons in charge at Georgia Tech, the Yellow Jackets went 3–20 in road games. That’s just not going to cut it, so Pastner placed an increased emphasis on road victories, including a new tradition where, after a road win, players get to raid a local gas station and pick up all the snacks they want. Like, all the snacks. (An NCAA rule approved in 2014 allows athletes to get unlimited meals and snacks.) The only limit is what they can carry to the register, which, in the arms of a tall athlete, is a lot. Check out the damage they did to a Sheetz in Chapel Hill after knocking off the Tar Heels last season.
A 🆆 on Saturday in Chapel Hill = ⛽️snacks!
— Georgia Tech Men’s Basketball (@GTMBB) January 6, 2020
The Jackets are back at McCamish Wednesday night vs. Duke. #BuiltDifferent /// #TogetherWeSwarm pic.twitter.com/BOxAabSGLD
Letting a dozen young adults run wild all over a gas station isn’t exactly the kind of thing you can do right now, though, so the Ramblin’ Wreck had to find a different way to celebrate after beating Nebraska in Lincoln on Wednesday night.
That’s why Pastner brought a piñata shaped like a microscopic view of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. In the locker room after the game, Khalid Moore, who had 11 points and eight rebounds off the bench in the win, had the honor of smashing the piñata on the floor and revealing the collection of candy inside.
That’s obviously not as enjoyable as laying siege to a convenience store, but it’s nice to see how much fun the players had with it.
Tech was favored in the game against the Huskers but faces a bigger challenge in its next road game, on Tuesday against No. 20 Florida State. If the Yellow Jackets pull off the upset, is there a gas station in Tallahassee that offers curbside pickup, just so the guys can reward themselves with a bigger haul?
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