March 21, 2017
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes | Photo Gallery
What Tech players had to say | Box Score | NIT Bracket
NIT SEMIFINALS TICKETS – TUESDAY, MARCH 28 – MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
OXFORD, Miss. (AP) Ben Lammers had 20 points on 9-of-11 shooting and added eight blocks, four rebounds, four assists and four steals to lead Georgia Tech of the final four of the NIT with a 74-66 win over Mississippi on Tuesday night.
Josh Okogie led the Yellow Jackets (20-15), who were seeded sixth in their bracket, with 26 points and Quinton Stephens had 10 with seven rebounds.
WE ARE GOING TO NEW YORK!!! pic.twitter.com/JndkrRUsb7
— GT Men’s Basketball (@GTMBB) March 22, 2017
Georgia Tech has not reached the semifinals of the NIT since 1971, when the Rich Yunkus-led Yellow Jackets got all the way to the championship game before falling to North Carolina. The Yellow Jackets face the winner of Cal State Bakersfield-Texas Arlington at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.
Sebastian Saiz had his third-straight NIT double-double and 23rd of the season with 19 points and 15 rebounds for the fifth-seeded Rebels (22-14), who beat top-seeded Syracuse in the second round. Terence Davis added 15 points and Cullen Neal had 13.
Georgia Tech scored the first four points and never trailed, leading 39-30 at the half. Two free throws and a layup by Okogie had the Yellow Jackets up 56-42 with 12:36 to play. Ole Miss never got closer than four, the last time on a thundering dunk by Davis with 1:39 to play.
First-year coach Josh Pastner quickly called a timeout to quiet the home crowd. Okogie then made two free throws as Tech went 6 of 8 from the line to secure the win.
A line of Jackets waiting to congratulate Josh Pastner at The Pavilion. What a night. What a season. To be cont.’d!! pic.twitter.com/3Vg1Qt0AN1
— Andy Demetra (@AndyDemetra) March 22, 2017
Georgia Tech advances to the semifinals of the Postseason NIT at MSG. Best coaching job of Josh Pastner’s career? It’s not even close.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 22, 2017
