Zachery Peacock posted 22 points as 21st-ranked
Georgia Tech survived a late NC State rally for a 73-71 victory at Alexander
Memorial Coliseum.
Derrick Favors had 16 points and added a crucial free throw late for the
Yellow Jackets (17-6, 5-4 ACC), winners in five of seven. Iman Shumpert
contributed 14 points for the victors.
Tracy Smith had 22 points and nine rebounds for the Wolfpack (14-10, 2-7), who
have dropped four of five. Dennis Horner posted 14 points and Javier Gonzalez
scored 13 in defeat.
NC State erased a 16-point deficit and shocked the home crowd with a 17-2 run
and got within 70-69 on a Julius Mays layup with 2:07 left in regulation.
"We didn't execute the press offense. We panicked, just panicked," Georgia
Tech coach Paul Hewitt said.
After D'Andre Bell missed two from the line, NC State gained control but
Gonzalez had the ball stripped by Shumpert, leading to two Peacock free throws
with 1:04 to play.
Gonzalez missed a three and after the defensive board, Favors hit 1-of-2 for a
73-69 game and 35 seconds left.
Smith missed an easy bucket, but Horner was fouled and made both his tries for
a two-point game, then Gani Lawal had the ball stolen away by Mays. However,
Gonzalez was off the mark and Mays' trey attempt at the horn fell short.
"We put up a trap that we use every now and then. It was pretty effective for
us," NC State coach Sidney Lowe said. "It was effective because our guys I
thought were very active and aggressive at getting to the ball and getting
their hands on the balls. We needed to do something because they had the lead
and were coming down and executing their stuff. We needed to get our guys
going a little bit and try to speed it up a little bit. It was good for us
today."
Peacock's jumper with 7:43 to play in the half put Georgia Tech up 17-7, but
NC State responded with a 14-4 run to get within a point on a Gonzalez free
throw four minutes later.
The Wolfpack took the lead after Scott Wood's three with 1:20 to play at
30-27, but Peacock responded with one of his own from beyond the arc to tie.
Smith's deuce late gave the Wolfpack a 32-30 edge at halftime.
The Yellow Jackets began the second half on a monster 15-4 run, and led 45-36
with 14:22 remaining after a Shumpert make.
A bucket from Horner and two free throws from DeShawn Painter brought the
Wolfpack within five points, but a Favors deuce and a Shumpert trey gave the
Jackets a 50-40 edge.
Shumpert drained one more from beyond the arc for a 53-42 contest at the
midway point of the second half.
Horner's make with 7:34 left gave the Wolfpack an eight-point deficit, but the
Yellow Jackets ripped off a 10-2 run, ending on a Peacock bucket with 4:34
left, which gave the home team a 68-52 edge.
Game Notes
Georgia Tech improved to 12-1 at home this season...Lawal finished with eight
points and a game-best 11 rebounds...Wood ended with 12 points...Bell and
Gonzalez both turned the ball over a game-high seven times.
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