Hokies hang on to edge Yellow Jackets 62-58
Feb 23, 2022, 6:28 AM | Updated: 8:29 pm
ATLANTA (AP) — Keve Aluma had a double-double, Darius Maddox scored 10 straight points to give Virginia Tech the lead for good and the Hokies hung on for a 62-58 victory over Georgia Tech on Wednesday night.
Maddox, who averages 5.4 points a game, finished with 12 points as did Nahiem Alleyne and Aluma, who grabbed 10 rebounds. The Hokies (17-11, 9-8) gave coach Mike Young his 200th Atlantic Coast Conference win.
Michael Devoe scored 18 points and Jordan Usher 11 for Georgia Tech (11-17, 4-13), playing its third game in five days.
Maddox sparked the Hokies after a first half in which they shot just 33% and trailed 34-30. Maddox hit a jumper to break a tie, added a 3-pointer and then five more points in a 13-2 run that Alleyne capped with a 3-pointer for an 11-point lead with just under seven minutes remaining.
Georgia Tech made a final run with Devoe scoring eight points in an 13-5 burst to cut the deficit to 59-56. A goaltending call against Georgia Tech’s Miles Kelly brought the run to an end with 14.3 seconds left. Devoe then drove for a basket and the Yellow Jackets fouled twice to get Hunter Cattoor to the line. Cattoor made 1 of 2 and Usher missed a 3-pointer as time ran out.
Virginia Tech, tops in the ACC at 40% from the arc and nine made 3-pointers a game, was just 3 of 14 in the first half. The Hokies finished just 6 of 24 from distance and 39% shooting overall but it was enough to avoid an NCAA Tournament resume disaster against the Yellow Jackets, buried with North Carolina State at the bottom of the standings.
The first basket of the game didn’t come until Alleyne hit a 3-pointer at 17:25. It was almost another minute before Usher scored five straight points to start a 9-0 run and Georgia Tech led the remainder of the half.
The Hokies, who beat the Yellow Jackets 81-66 on Feb. 2, won after having a six-game winning streak snapped by North Carolina on Saturday.
Virginia Tech is at Miami and Georgia Tech is at Notre Dame on Saturday.
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