Muller hits game-winner; Virginia Tech beats Georgia Tech

BLACKSBURG -- Virginia Tech head coach Buzz Williams has been known to change dress shirts during halftime of games because of his propensity to sweat during a game, but for the first time this season he switched into a sweater.<br /> <br /> The custom-made garment worked as the Hokies won a game decided by three points or less for just the third time this season - out of 10 attempts.<br /> <br /> Malik Muller hit a 3-pointer with 18 seconds left and finished with 17 points to lift Virginia Tech to a 65-63 victory over Georgia Tech on Monday.<br /> <br /> Muller was 6 of 8 from the floor, including three 3-pointers as the Hokies (10-14, 2-9 ACC) rallied from a 10-point deficit with a little more than five minutes to go to snap a three-game losing streak.<br /> <br /> The Hokies trailed 58-48 after the Yellow Jackets' Chris Bolden converted a three-point play with 5:07 remaining. But Virginia Tech only missed one shot the rest of the game, outscoring the Yellow Jackets 17-5 down the stretch.<br /> <br /> Virginia Tech scored on its last eight possessions and hit its last six shots. Muller made the last shot, catching a pass from Jalen Hudson and hitting a 3-pointer from the corner that gave the Hokies a 64-63 advantage with 16.1 seconds to go.<br /> <br /> The lead marked Virginia Tech's first of the second half.<br /> <br /> "We drew up a play where I was standing in the corner," Muller said. "Jalen could attack the hoop, and I knew that most of the time when I get open, it's because someone is driving baseline and my man is going to help and I'm wide open.<br /> <br /> "I was ready for the shot, so it came and I took it."<br /> <br /> Georgia Tech (11-13, 2-10) called a timeout with 12.1 seconds remaining to set up a final play, but Marcus Georges-Hunt's layup was heavily contested, and officials ruled the ball went out of bounds off a Georgia Tech player with less than three seconds left.<br /> <br /> "We wanted the ball in Marcus's hands," Georgia Tech coach Brian Gregory said. "He's our go-to guy. He's the one who's got to win the game for us at the end."<br /> <br /> Adam Smith made 1 of 2 free throws with 1.8 seconds to go to give the Hokies a two-point lead. Following a timeout, Georgia Tech did not get a shot attempt off before the final buzzer.<br /> <br /> Smith scored 15 points for the Hokies, who shot 52.1 percent from the floor (25 of 48) - their best shooting performance in an ACC game this season. Shane Henry added 10.<br /> <br /> Virginia Tech shot 56 percent in the second half (14 of 25).<br /> <br /> "Our defense was awful in the second half," Gregory said. "We didn't guard the dribble well. We took away their 3's, but they got to the free-throw line."<br /> <br /> Charles Mitchell led the Yellow Jackets with 17 points. Georges-Hunt had 11, while Bolden and Tadric Jackson each added 10.<br /> <br /> ---<br /> <br /> TIP-INS<br /> <br /> Georgia Tech: Second-ranked Virginia beat Georgia Tech by 29 points, but Georgia Tech's nine other conference losses have been by a total of 34 points. . The Yellow Jackets held a 39-27 rebounding advantage against the Hokies and have outrebounded their opponents in 20 of 24 games this season. . Georgia Tech finished the game with 19 offensive rebounds after coming into the game ranked 11th nationally at 14 per game.<br /> <br /> Virginia Tech: The Hokies are now 3-7 in games decided by three points or less. . The Hokies' five freshmen have played more than 51 percent of the minutes this season, the highest percentage by a freshman class in the ACC. . Devin Wilson did not start for the first time in 13 games.<br /> <br /> THE SWEATER<br /> <br /> "The guy that made me that sweater, there is only one in the world," Williams said. "I have a great relationship with him. He's made me stuff in the past. He told me he noticed that I've been changing clothes at halftime, and I told him we couldn't afford air conditioning and that I had to change clothes because I was sweating. He said, `I'm going to make you something.'<br /> <br /> UP NEXT<br /> <br /> Georgia Tech hosts Florida State on Saturday.<br /> <br /> Virginia Tech is at Clemson on Saturday.