Virginia Tech Loses At Georgia Tech

ATLANTA - The Virginia Tech men's basketball team has finished the regular season with an ACC winning record for the past two seasons.

It won't happen this year.

Georgia Tech beat ACC Virginia Tech 77-70 on Tuesday at McCamish Pavilion, handing the Hokies their 10th ACC loss of the season.

The Hokies (15-11, 5-10) have just five games left in the regular season. So even if they win all five games, they will only get 500.00 in ACC play.

Last year, Virginia Tech went 11-9 in the ACC regular season before winning the ACC Championship.

The Hokies began Wednesday having won four of their previous six games, but fell back in the second half on Wednesday.

Georgia Tech (10-16, 3-13) won for the second time in its last 12 games.

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The Hokies are 8-1 on the road this season.

Georgia Tech was 11 of 22 (50%) from 3-point range, including 8 of 15 (53.3%) in the first half. The Yellow Jackets entered the game averaging 7 3's.

It was Virginia Tech's third straight game in which an opponent made at least 11 3-pointers.

The Hokies made just 6-of-23 (26.1%) 3-pointers.

Virginia Tech center Grant Basile, who has scored 33 consecutive points, had 21 points and seven rebounds on Wednesday. He scored the Hokies' first nine points on Wednesday.

Hokies forward Justin Mats had 17 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists for the second triple-double of his career.

Virginia Tech's Sean Pedula and the Hokies' Hunter Cature each scored 11 points.

Georgia Tech's Deebo Coleman scored 21 points. Miles Kelly scored 15 points. Lance Terry scored 14 points. Kyle Sturdivant scored 10 points. Ja'von Franklin had 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Georgia Tech shot 44.8% from the field, while the Hokies shot 41.1%.

The Yellow Jackets led 41-31 at halftime.

Catur, who had not scored in the first half, took a 3-point lead with 19 minutes left to cut the lead to 44-36.

But the Yellow Jackets responded with an 8-0 run to make it 13-47 to 52-36.

The Hokies responded with a 9-0 run and an 11-01 run to take a 52-45 lead.

Jalon Moore made it 54-45.

But Matts dunked and Pedula made a layup to cut the lead to 54-49 with 10:03 left.

Terry made a three to make it 57-49. Kelly made a jumper to make it 59-49 with 8:28 left.

After Virginia Tech's Milijael Poteet made one of two free throws, Cattur made two free throws. Basil scored to make it 59-54 with 5:10 left.

Kokoh answered with a three to make it 62-54.

Lynn Kidd made it 62-56 with 4:08 left. But Terry made a layup to make it 64-56.

Kidd was ejected for a flagrant foul when Kidd hit Terry in the head with a right hand on his way to the basket. Terry hit two free throws to make it 66-56.

Catur made a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 66-59 with 2:38 left. Terry made one of two free throws to extend the lead.

After Sturdivant stole the ball from Mutsi, Mutsi was called for an intentional foul. Sturdivant made one of two free throws to make it 68-59. Georgia Tech then kept possession and Terry made it 70-59 with 1:56 left.

Both teams are in the bottom six of the ACC standings. The bottom six teams at the end of the regular season must play in the opening round of the ACC tournament, which begins on March 7 in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Terry hit a 3-pointer to give the Yellow Jackets a 14-13 lead with 12:57 left in the first half. George Tech led the rest of the game.

Basil made it 18-17 with 9:36 left in the first half. Basil had 13 points at that point. However, he did not score in the first half.

Georgia Tech's lead grew to 33-23 with 3:37 left in the first half.

The Hokies were just 1-of-9 from 3-point range in the first half, compared to the Yellow Jackets, who went 8-for-15 from that distance in the first half.

Georgia Tech guard Davon Smith (8.0 points) missed the game with an ankle injury.

Virginia Tech's Darius Maddox lost his sixth straight game.

Basil 10-21 0-0 21, Matts 8-16 1-4 17, Cattur 3-7 2-2 11, Collins 1-5 0-0 3, Pedula 5-17 0-0 11, Kidd 3-6 0 -0 6, Poteet 0-0 1-2 1, Camden 0-1 0-0 0. Total 30-73 4-8 70.

Franklin 5-10 0-2 10, Coleman 6-10 6-8 21, Kelly 6-11 0-0 15, Strong 3-10 1-4 10, Terry 4-10 4-6 14, Moore 2-7 3 -6 7, Mecca 0-0 0-0 0. Total 26-58 14-26 77.

Halftime - Georgia Tech 41-31. 3-point field goals - Virginia Tech 6-23 (Katur 3-7, Collins 1-2, Basile 1-4, Pedula 1-8, Mats 0-2), Georgia Tech 11-22 (Coleman 3-4, Sturdivant 3 - 5, Kelly 3-6, Terry 2-5, Moore 0-2). Rebounds - Virginia Tech 36 (Matts 11), Georgia Tech 35 (Franklin 10). Assists - Virginia Tech 19 (Matts 9), Georgia Tech 15 (Franklin, Terry, Moore 3). Total fouls - Virginia Tech 21, Georgia Tech 13. A - 4565 (8600).

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