THE FLATS – A last second shot to force overtime from Dani Carnegie didn’t fall as No. 20 Georgia Tech dropped a 73-70 decision to Florida State on Sunday afternoon. Freshmen Tianna Thompson and Carnegie combined to score 29 points in the matinee. Prior to tipoff, the Yellow Jackets honored its senior class of Kayla Blackshear and Zoe Smith on Senior Day.
The Yellow Jackets (21-7, 9-7 ACC) held the lead the majority of the first half and carried a 19-16 advantage into the second quarter. Thompson checked into the game and immediately provided a spark off the bench, scoring nine points in the second period, helping Tech build out an eight-point lead, 28-20. But the Seminoles chipped away and trailed by a possession, 34-31, at halftime.
Florida State came out of the break and won the third quarter, 26-15, opening a 55-45 lead off a Sydney Bowles three-pointer at the 2:45 mark. The Seminoles would extend their lead to 62-49 early in the fourth quarter before the Jackets began to rally back. Thompson hit her second triple of the game at the 8:25 mark, igniting a 14-2 Jacket run to come within 64-63 with 3:00 left to play. Thompson fueled the run with five points, while Carnegie added four in the five-minute spurt.
As the clock continued to tick, Thompson would tie the game at 66-66, connecting on her third three-pointer of the day with 2:01 to go. After the teams traded baskets with Carnegie tying the game at 68-68, FSU posted four unanswered before Thompson hit a driving layup with 8.1 ticks left, setting up a 72-70 FSU lead. The Seminoles went 1-for-4 at the free throw line over the final seven seconds and the Jackets put the ball in Carnegie’s hands for the final possession, but a three-pointer wouldn’t fall as time expired.
Tech shot 41.9 percent (31-74) from the field and won the rebounding battle, 40-37. Thompson finished with a career-high 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including a trio of three-pointers, while Carnegie added 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Tech recorded 26 assists on 31 made field goals, led by six from Smith and five from Inés Noguero.
Florida State was paced offensively by Sydney Bowles with 32 points and Makayla Timpson with 19 points and 16 rebounds. The Seminoles converted 10-of-17 at the free throw line, while Tech was 2-for-4.
Georgia Tech heads out west for a two-game swing in California to close the regular season. The Yellow Jackets open the stretch at California on Thursday, Feb. 27. Tip is slated for 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.