Phoenix, Ariz. – Michael Devoe scored a game-high 25 points and led a second-half comeback that got Georgia Tech within six points late in the second half, but No. 10/9 Southern California used balanced scoring and made 9-of-18 from three-point range for a 67-53 victory in the Jerry Colangelo Classic.
Tech dropped its fourth consecutive game and fell to 5-5 on the season, with a pair of home games coming up before its Christmas break, while the Trojans remained undefeated at 12-0.
Devoe and Jordan Usher, who scored 11 points, got the Yellow Jackets off to a fast start in the game. Devoe scoring eight and Usher six to give Tech a 14-8 lead eight and a half minutes into the game. USC outscored the Jackets 25-4 over the next eight minutes, however, getting five of their three-pointers in the stretch. Tech used a closing 6-0 run to trail 33-24 at the half.
Boogie Ellis, who led the Trojans with 16 points, scored eight of them in the first 10 minutes of the second half, helping USC open a 53-37 lead, its biggest of the game, at the 10:27 mark.
Tech battled back with a 10-0 run highlighted by three-pointers by Devoe and freshman Dallan “Deebo” Coleman, getting back to within 53-47 with 6:13 to go, but could get no closer.
Devoe hit 9-of-22 shots from the floor with a pair of threes in the game, but the Yellow Jackets hit just 32.8 percent overall, a season-low, and 5-of-19 from three-point range.
Five Trojans reached double digits, with Drew Peterson scoring 14, Chevez Goodwin tallying 13, and Ethan Anderson and Isaiah Mobley each adding 11.
Tech returns home for its next game, hosting Georgia State Tuesday night at McCamish Pavilion. Tip off is at 9 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on the ACC’s Regional Sports Network.
Michael Devoe hit the 20-point mark for the fifth time this season. (photo by Marlee Smith)
Post-Game Notes
- Tech is 0-3 vs. AP top-25 teams this season, and 5-7 since the beginning of the 2020-21 season. The Yellow Jackets have played more top-25 teams in its non-conference schedule this season (3) than they have since the 1995-96 season (5).
- Tech has lost four straight games for the first time since the 2018-19 season, when the Jackets dropped seven in a row during January and February.
- One game after committing a season-high 24 turnovers (vs. LSU), Tech had only seven against USC, its fewest since posting seven against Florida State in last year’s ACC Championship game. The Jackets are now even with their opponents in turnover average this season (13.4).
- Tech’s 32.8-percent success rate from the floor (21-of-64) against USC was its lowest since hitting 32.4 percent (22-of-68) at Louisville on Feb. 1 of last season.
- Tech’s five assists against USC matched a program low in five-plus seasons under head coach Josh Pastner. The Yellow Jackets recorded five assists four other times (all away from home), most recently against Boise State in a victory on Dec. 22, 2919.
- The Jackets have averaged 58.5 points, 7.8 assists and shot just 40.1 percent from the floor during its four-game losing streak.
- Michael Devoe had scored 20 or more points five times this season (game-high 25 vs. USC) and has reached double figures in 19 straight games dating back to Tech’s game vs. Virginia last Feb. 10. Devoe has reached double figures in points 68 times in his career. He has scored 20 or more points 25 times.
- Devoe has hit a 3 in his last 19 straight games dating back to last Feb. 10 vs. Virginia. The 2021 ACC Tournament MVP made at least one in 23 of 26 games last season, including the final 10 in a row.
- Jordan Usher posted his seventh double-figure game of the season and his second in a row (11 points vs. USC), after missing in three straight games, He has scored in double digits seven times in 10 games this season.
- Khalid Moore (8 rebounds) and Saba Gigiberia (5) each posted season highs on the boards.
- Devoe played 34:14 turnover-free minutes against USC, his first zero-turnover game since March 3, 2019 vs. Boston College.
Khalid Moore grabbed a season-high eight rebounds to lead the Jackets on the boards. (photo by Marlee Smith)
