CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Georgia Tech men’s basketball trimmed the score to five points with just over two minutes to play, but could not overcome the Miami Hurricanes in the Watsco Center on Saturday afternoon, falling 91-81. Kowacie Reeves Jr. and Lamar Washington each chipped in 20-plus points in the outing.
Georgia Tech got off to a slow start and was held to just 33.3 percent shooting in the opening 20 minutes to Miami’s 50.0 percent effort from the floor. After trailing by double-digits early, the Yellow Jackets attacked their deficit and closed the gap to within seven points, 31-24, following a Chas Kelley III three-pointer at 6:04, but the Hurricanes would maintain their lead into intermission. Miami led by as many as 14 in the first half and shot 50.0 percent from the field to hold a 47-33 halftime lead.
It was a tale of two halves as Georgia Tech shot 56.7 percent from the field in the second half and trimmed its deficit to five points down the stretch. The Hurricanes maintained their double-digit lead until Baye Ndongo and Reeves strung together a 6-0 spurt to cut the score to 77-72 with 4:13 to play. The Jackets would come within five twice more in the final minutes, but a three-pointer from Tre Donaldson with 39.7 seconds on the clock put Miami in front, 88-77. Tech would not come any closer as Miami kept its home record unblemished.
For the second time this season, the Yellow Jackets had two players score 20 points as Reeves tallied 23 and Washington added 21. Washington finished with a double-double, dishing out a game-high 12 assists, while going a perfect 10-for-10 at the free throw line.
Tre Donaldson led the Hurricanes with a game-high 27 points and was one of four in double-figures.
The Yellow Jackets return home to host Pittsburgh on Wednesday, Jan. 14. Tip is slated for 7 p.m. on the ACC Network.