Despite outplaying some illustrious teams, Georgia Tech is considered the Cinderella story of this year's Final Four, a group of mostly underclassmen lucky to be in contention for the national title.
While other members of this year's contenders have big names from big-time programs, Georgia Tech's players are unheralded, largely unknown and without doubt largely underrated.
"You guys have a chance to be as good as anyone in the country," coach Paul Hewitt remembers telling his team during the first 10 days of practice.
He was right.
Today, Georgia Tech face Oklahoma State with the victor playing for the national title on Monday against the winner of the Duke-Connecticut match-up.
Hewitt's Yellow Jackets have come a long way, expected before the season to finish in the lower echelon of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Losing freshman Chris Bosh to the NBA was expected to be a fatal blow to this year's team.
With the team's lone big name succumbing to the lure of the professional ranks, Georgia Tech was left with a crew of unproven yet talented players.
But they won their first 12 games and seemed to find their swagger.
"The fact that we have a lot of depth, people may not value the talent we have," Hewitt said.
"We have some very talented players. What we have are some very mature and unselfish players."
That became obvious during a 77-61 whipping of Connecticut earlier this year and a late-season 76-68 victory over Duke.
When Georgia Tech knocked out Kansas 79-71 in overtime in the finals of the St Louis regional -- with leading scorer B.J. Elder ailing with an ankle sprain -- the Yellow Jackets advanced to their first Final Four in 14 years and within two wins of their first national championship.
Sophomore guard Jarrett Jack scored 29 points, had nine rebounds and six assists -- proving that he is one of the top point guards in the nation.
But he still doesn't have the panache of the more heralded players from Duke, Connecticut or even Oklahoma State, teams often under the glare of the national spotlight.
"Because we play so many guys, it's a different guy [stepping up] every night, and people may get lulled into this thing that they're not very good," Hewitt said.
"But the sum is greater than the individual parts," he added. "And the individual parts of this team are very, very good.
"When they pull it together they become especially tough."
Despite their 27-9 record, the Yellow Jackets were a bracket buster in scores of NCAA office pools around the country.
Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski has won three titles during nine trips to the Final Four. Connecticut's Jim Calhoun has a national title to his credit, while Oklahoma State's Eddie Sutton has twice made it to the final weekend.
Hewitt has been at Georgia Tech just four years and the program hasn't made it to the Final Four since 1990.
Krzyzewski cautions against counting them out.
"They have a chance to win it," he said. "[Hewitt's] kids are confident. He allows his players to show that confidence."
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