PAUL NEWBERRY
AP Sports Writer
ATLANTA (AP) (Jan. 19) – Shaun Fein led a 3-point barrage, scoring all 18 of his points from behind the arc as Georgia Tech led virtually the entire game for a 65-62 victory over Florida State on Wednesday night.
The Yellow Jackets (9-7, 2-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) hit 12-of-27 from outside the 3-point stripe, one away from their season high.
Florida State (7-8, 2-2) hit the first basket of the game but never led again. But the Seminoles hung around behind a career-high 24 points from Damous Anderson.
Georgia Tech managed only five points in the final 4:50, including two free throws by Jason Collier with 16.1 seconds remaining. Florida State had a chance to tie at the end, but Delvon Arrington missed a 3 from the corner as the buzzer sounded.
The Yellow Jackets picked up their second straight victory in the ACC, and once again it was Fein leading the way. The junior guard, playing his first season with the Yellow Jackets, hit four 3-pointers and scored 17 points Saturday in a key victory over Maryland.
He was 6-of-10 from behind the arc against the Seminoles, helping Georgia Tech turn back one comeback after another.
The road team had won the last four games in the Georgia Tech-Florida State series. The Seminoles came into the game with a 5-3 record at Alexander Memorial Coliseum, the only ACC road venue where they have a winning record since entering the conference.
Collier had 14 points and 12 rebounds, his third straight double-double. Anderson, who averaged 15.8 points in the previous three games, eclipsed his previous career high of 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting, including four 3-pointers. But he didn’t get a chance to tie it at the end.
Ron Hale added 11 points and Arrington had 10 for the Seminoles.
Georgia Tech started quickly, building a 24-12 lead on a 3-pointer by T.J. Vines with 6:49 left in the half. Florida State couldn’t hit anything in the early going, making just three of its first 14 shots.
But the Seminoles scored the final five points of the half for a respectable 32-27 deficit at the break. Anderson gave FSU a boost heading to the locker room by hitting a 3-pointer with three seconds remaining.
The first half was played with only two officials. Rick Hartzell was delayed at the Chicago airport by a snowstorm.
