Tech Rally Falls Short at No. 2 Duke

Durham, N.C. – Michael Devoe scored a game-high 21 points, 18 of them in the second half as Georgia Tech trimmed a 15-point deficit down to six, but No. 2 Duke held off the Yellow Jackets, 69-57, in Atlantic Coast Conference basketball Tuesday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Tech (6-7, 0-3 ACC) hung in but trailed by 15 (53-38) with 8:21 left in the game. Devoe’s second three-pointer of the game sparked a 14-5 run for the Yellow Jackets that brought them within six (58-52) with 3:18 to go. The senior from Orlando, Fla., scored 12 of his points during the run.

But Duke (12-1, 2-0 ACC) answered with a dunk from freshman A.J. Griffin and then a three-pointer from freshman Trevor Keels, and finished the game by outscoring the Jackets 11-5.

Devoe, the ACC’s leading scorer, hit the 20-point mark for the seventh time this season. Jordan Usher added 11 points for Tech, his fifth straight game in double figures.

Freshman Paolo Banchero led four Duke players in double figures with 17 points and 11 rebounds, with Griffin scoring 12. Keels and center Mark Williams adding 10 each. Williams also had a double-double with 14 rebounds.

Tech held the Blue Devils to 37.3 percent from the floor and just 5-of-16 from three-point range.

Georgia Tech returns home to host Notre Dame for a 6 p.m. tip on Saturday at McCamish Pavilion. The game will be televised on the ACC Network.

Khalid Moore scored seven first-half points for the Yellow Jackets. (photo by Jaylynn Nash)

 

Post-Game Notes

• Georgia Tech last won at Cameron Indoor Stadium on March 3, 2004, and the Yellow Jackets eventually reached the NCAA championship game in San Antonio. Tech has lost 12 in a row since then on the Blue Devils’ home floor.
• Three of Georgia Tech’s last five opponents have shot under 40 percent from the floor – Duke connected on 37.3 percent.
• Tech’s last three opponents have shot 29.8 percent from three-point range combined (17-of-57).
• Tech played its shortest rotation – eight players – since the LSU game on Dec. 11. Ten Yellow Jackets played in each of the last two games against Georgia State and Louisville.
• Tech committed less than 10 turnovers (9 vs. Duke) for the third time in its last four games and won the turnover battle for the seventh time in 13 games.
• Tech’s 32.8 percent rate from the floor against Duke matched its low for the year (also against USC).
• Tech has reached the 70-point mark just once in its last eight games, and that required overtime (72-62 over Georgia State on Dec. 21).
• Tech has made 24 threes in its last three games after connecting on 20 in the four games prior. The Jackets are 24-for-66 combined (.363) in its last two games, and 21-for-60 combined (.350) in its three ACC games.
• Tech’s seven blocked shots were a season high, as were its 27 fouls and 40 free throws against.
• Tech has been outrebounded in five of its last six games and has been beaten on the boards in its three ACC games by an average of 11.3.
• Sophomore Jordan Meka has started Tech’s last two games at the “5” spot and averaged more than 20 minutes over the last three. In those three games, the 6-8 Meka has grabbed 19 rebounds and blocked seven shots, including season highs of eight boards and three blocks at Duke.
• Sophomore Saba Gigiberia posted season highs of six points and six rebounds at Duke, also logging a career high in minutes (14:06).
• Bubba Parham made his second appearance this season for the Yellow Jackets, doubling his workload against Duke (27 minutes from 14:39). He went scoreless but had three assists and three steaks with no turnovers. Parham was Tech’s best ballhandler last season, with just 13 turnovers in 674 minutes.
• Jordan Usher has scored in double digits 10 times in 13 games this season (11 vs. Duke), and has done so in five straight games after missing in the three previous games. The senior has averaged 16.8 points over the last five games (28-57 FG, 10-18 3pt FG).
• ACC leading scorer Michael Devoe has scored 20 or more points seven times this season (game-high 21 vs. Duke) and has reached double figures in 21 of his last 22 games. Devoe has reached double figures in points 70 times in his career. He has scored 20 or more points 27 times.
• Devoe has hit a three-point field goal in his last 22 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. The sharpshooter went 3-for-10 from distance at Duke and has connected on 44.3 percent this season.
• Devoe moved into 21^st place in all-time scoring at Georgia Tech with 1,403 points, surpassing Marvin Lewis (1,396 points from 2000-04) and Anthony Morrow (1,400 from 2004-08). Needs eight to reach 20^th place and pass Lenny Horton (1,411 from 1977-80).
• Kyle Sturdivant has four double-figure scoring games this season after tallying 14 against Louisville. The junior guard had scored 17 against Charleston Southern, 11 against Georgia Southern and 12 against Georgia State. It was his fifth double-digit game in a Tech uniform (17 last season vs. Kentucky). Against Louisville, he played 25:34 without committing a turnover.

Jordan Meka got his second straight start for Tech and grabbed eight rebounds with three blocks. (photo by Jaylynn Nash)

 

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