March 5, 2005
ATLANTA – Jarrett Jack had 18 points and Luke Schenscher pulled down 15 rebounds as Georgia Tech held Clemson without a field goal for the final 7:44 in a 64-56 victory Saturday.
B.J. Elder added 17 points for the Yellow Jackets, who kept their NCAA tournament hopes alive despite shooting just 2-of-15 on 3-point attempts.
After advancing to the national title game last year, Georgia Tech (17-10) guaranteed at least a tie for fourth place in the Atlantic Coast Conference with an 8-8 record.
Sharrod Ford led Clemson with 22 points, but he missed his last three shots, the last coming on a turnaround in the lane with 1:18 remaining. That possession seemed to take all hope from the Tigers as Shawan Robinson had a shot blocked and Olu Babalola missed a four-footer that Schenscher pulled down to preserve a 61-56 lead.
Clemson (15-14, 5-11) entered with a three-game winning streak, but the Tigers solidified their standing as the ACC’s worst free-throw shooting team by hitting just nine of 24 attempts. Ford’s layin at the 7:45 mark cut the lead to 56-53 and gave Clemson its last field goal.
Schenscher finished with 11 points. The 7-foot-1 Australian was one of five seniors who started perhaps their final game at Alexander Memorial Coliseum.
Georgia Tech last had consecutive victories Jan. 6 and 8 against Miami and Virginia, a span of 14 games that included their last appearance in The Associated Press poll Jan. 31. That 92-69 win over Virginia marked the last time the Yellow Jackets won by more than eight points.
Will Bynum gave the Yellow Jackets a 58-55 lead as he banked in a 14-footer at the 4:14 mark.
Jack’s 16-footer from the left baseline put Georgia Tech ahead to stay at 45-43 with 11 minutes left.
The Yellow Jackets have won five straight and nine of 11 from Clemson and coach Paul Hewitt is now 8-2 against the Tigers.
GEORGE HENRY
Associated Press Writer
