Didn't I tell you to pack the defense?

This is from AJC's Georgia Tech blog, written prior to Tech's win over Clemson:

Paul Hewitt said he might start Anthony Morrow in place of Mouhammad Faye Saturday against Clemson yet also said he thinks the key to Tech turning it around will be defense.

Can’t argue that defense has been an issue, as the Jackets during their four-game losing streak have allowed shooting percentages of 47.3, 50.0, 59.5 and 54.3 percent. FSU hit them for better than 50 percent in the game before that too.

What astounds me most is the frequency with which opponents are getting to the basket. Against VT, it was everybody, including guards driving, but against Wake it was mostly the Deacons’ bigs, either Visser, Weaver or somebody else. Tech has been whipped on the defensive glass, too.

Wake missed just 21 shots Tuesday (out of 46), and grabbed 11 offensive rebounds or better than 50 percent of their missed shots. That’s a two-part ratio/recipe for disaster.

And a disaster it was. We're at the midpoint of the conference slate, and so far Wake Forest has the league's worst offense in conference play...and it's not close. Before meeting the Yellow Jackets, Wake Forest had managed to crack 1.0 pts/possession just once in nine games and had averaged an OFF EFF of 92 over that span. Against Tech, the floodgates opened and the Deacs finished the day with an OE north of 120.

Here's how teams are faring on the road (ACC games only):

 OFF_EFF DEF_EFF EFF_Margin

Duke 108.0 95.6 +12.4
UNC 107.2 94.8 +12.4
NCSU 107.5 98.0 +9.5
UVA 99.1 98.9 +0.2
Clem 106.0 109.1 -3.1
BC 105.7 109.9 -4.2
VT 109.0 113.7 -4.7
UMD 98.8 108.5 -9.7
FSU 105.3 118.1 -12.8
Wake 89.0 101.9 -12.9
GT 103.6 117.7 -14.1
Miami 95.3 119.6 -24.3

The Jackets haven't been playing any defense on the road. But tomorrow night's game is in Atlanta, of course, where the Jackets have been much better.

At home (ACC games only):

 OFF_EFF DEF_EFF EFF_Margin

UNC 116.8 85.4 +31.4
BC 119.3 101.1 +18.2
FSU 119.8 104.6 +15.2
UVA 110.1 99.0 +11.1
Duke 103.4 92.4 +11.0
GT 108.2 98.3 +9.9
UMD 104.0 97.4 +6.6
Clem 100.2 99.1 +1.1
VT 100.2 100.5 -0.3
Miami 113.0 121.4 -8.4
Wake 100.6 112.8 -12.2
NCSU 96.9 114.5 -17.6

A coupla non-Tech notes:

-- Carolina's been playing like an All-Star team at home. They've averaged a 23 point margin in their four home conference wins and have played stifling defense against some tough offenses.

-- Miami's defense is pathetic. Frank Haith's teams are always weak defensively, but this is a new low. There's a huge gap between the Canes and the 11th-worst defense.