Jan 2, 2002
By KEITH PARSONS
AP Sports Writer
ATLANTA – Tony Akins had 22 points and 10 assists and Georgia Tech snapped a two-game home losing streak with an 86-68 victory over Cornell on Wednesday night.
Marvin Lewis and Anthony McHenry added 13 apiece for the Yellow Jackets (7-7), who lost to IUPUI in their last game. With their Atlantic Coast Conference schedule starting Saturday, they couldn’t afford another loss to an unheralded team.
Wallace Prather, from the Atlanta suburb of Decatur, led the Big Red (2-10) with 12 points.
A winter storm that brought snow and sleet to most of the South led to a crowd of just 1,283 – almost 8,000 short of a sellout.
Georgia Tech opened the second half with 11 straight points to take a 20-point lead, then expanded that to 55-30.
Cornell got back in it with the 3-point shooting of Prather, Jacques Vigneault and Grant Harrell, closing to 63-53 with 8:46 left. They combined for five 3s during the run, but Prather missed three straight free throws.
The Yellow Jackets steadily pulled away after that, handing the Big Red their third straight loss and fifth in six games.
Georgia Tech struggled throughout most of the game despite a size and quickness advantage. Freshman forward Ed Nelson, normally a complementary player who concentrates on rebounds and defense, was more offensive-minded early and missed his first five shots.
Center Robert Brooks wasn’t any better, finishing 1-for-5.
The Yellow Jackets play host to Clemson on Saturday.
