Jan. 13, 2018
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PITTSBURGH (AP) — Georgia Tech opened with 13 unanswered points against Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon and never looked back, defeating the Panthers 69-54.
After the initial onslaught, Pitt made one free throw, but the Yellow Jackets went right back to scoring, extending their lead to 21-1 before the Panthers made a field goal.
After a 14-2 Pitt run in the middle of the first half closed the gap, the Yellow Jackets again came out strong after halftime. Abdoulaye Gueye made two baskets as part of a 9-2 run and finished with a career-high 16 points and eight rebounds.
Center Ben Lammers scored 11 points with 16 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season. Georgia Tech (10-7, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) dominated on the inside, outrebounding the Panthers 39-20 and outscoring them in the paint 40-16.
Pitt (8-10, 0-4) got within 10 points in the second half, but after Shamiel Stevenson missed a layup, Georgia Tech rattled off 13 straight points.
Stevenson and Jared Wilson-Frame each scored nine points for the Panthers.
COACH PASTNER POST-GAME PRESS-CONFERENCE
RADIO HIGHLIGHTS
BIG PICTURE
Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets have four players that average scoring in double figures, but it’s been team defense that has led to their four-game winning streak. They’ve held four straight opponents to 60 points or fewer and are 7-0 when they do so. They’re 2-7 when allowing more than 60 points.
Pitt: The Panthers announced earlier in the week that senior forward Ryan Luther will miss the rest of the season with a stress reaction in his right foot. Luther had been primarily replaced by freshmen Terrell Brown and Peace Ilegomah, but sophomore junior college transfer Kene Chukwuka emerged as an option after a strong showing against Duke. Chukwuka started and held his ground against Lammers, an all-ACC preseason selection.
UP NEXT
Georgia Tech: Will return home Thursday for a visit from No. 3 Virginia, which is currently the top-ranked team in the ACC. The Yellow Jackets are 2-0 at home in ACC play with wins over Miami and Notre Dame. The Cavaliers have won seven straight.
Pitt: Will visit Syracuse on Tuesday. The Panthers have won six of their last seven games against the Orange, but the lone defeat was their last trip to the Carrier Dome, a 77-66 loss last January.
