ATLANTA (AP) — Seth Allen's free throw with three seconds left lifted Virginia Tech to a 78-77 win over Georgia Tech on Saturday, capping a furious free throw barrage that helped the Hokies rally from a 10-point deficit over the final 4:14.
Marcus Georges-Hunt scored 16 of his career-high 27 points in the second half for Georgia Tech (11-7, 1-4 ACC), but the Yellow Jackets were outscored 14-3 at game's end. They couldn't keep the Hokies (12-6, 4-1) off the free throw line.
Zach LeDay led Virginia Tech with 21 points and seven rebounds. His 10-foot jumper with 57 seconds left in the game was good for a 77-75 lead - the Hokies' first of the game - and Georges-Hunt countered with a layup to tie the game 20 seconds later.
Virginia Tech did not call timeout, and held for the last shot.
Allen drove late in the shot clock, and after pump-faking a shot in the lane, he was fouled by Georgia forward Charles Mitchell with 3.4 seconds remaining.
He made the first three throw - the 23rd make of the second half by the Hokies - and missed the second. Virginia Tech made 23-of-27 free throws after halftime, and 28-of-36 in the game. Allen made 11 of 13 from the line and scored all 13 of his points in the second half. Georgia Tech made 9-of-16.
Tech rebounded, and called timeout, but after inbounding the ball the Jackets were unable to get off a shot as Georges-Hunt was tied up by LeDay as time expired. The Georgia Tech sideline was howling for a foul, but there was no call.
The Yellow Jackets dominated in many ways, but the Hokies tied the game, 75-75, on Allen's 3-point play with 1:55 remaining.
Georgia Tech broke to a 10-2 lead on three fast breaks and a 3-pointer by former Hokie Adam Smith, shot from in front of the Virginia Tech bench.
The Yellow Jackets cruised early, scoring on 13 of 21 possessions, taking a 29-14 lead on Tadric Jackson's long ball with 8:40 left in the first half.
It was 44-43 at the half as both teams shot well - Virginia Tech hit 13 of 27 and Georgia Tech 17 of 34 - yet the Jackets took seven more shots with the help of a 22-12 rebounding edge. Georgia Tech also registered seven blocked shots in the half.
Virginia Tech came back in the second half, getting back-to-back 3-point plays by LeDay and Kerry Blackshear, Jr. to draw within 47-44 at the 16:40 mark.
___
TIP-INS
Virginia Tech: The Hokies averaged just 8.3 turnovers in their first four ACC games (3-1) and forced an average of 13.8. That number flipped Saturday, when Georgia Tech scored 20 points off Virginia Tech's 14 turnovers, and the Jackets coughed it up 13 times
Georgia Tech: Of the seven different Yellow Jackets who have started this season, only Georges-Hunt and Quinton Stephens began their careers with the program. Mitchell (Maryland), James White (Arkansas-Little Rock graduate), Smith (Virginia Tech graduate), Nick Jacobs (Alabama) and Josh Heath (South Florida) all transferred to Georgia Tech.
TOUGH ROAD
Georgia Tech entered Saturday having played the toughest ACC schedule their first four conference opponents — North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Virginia and Notre Dame — had a combined record of 53-12.
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech is on the road Wednesday at Notre Dame.
Georgia Tech is home next Saturday against No. 16 Louisville.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2016/1/363117/virginia-tech-rallies-past-georgia-tech-78-77