Miles Kelly leads Ga. Tech to 79-77 win over rival Georgia

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Tech’s Miles Kelly hit one other profitable shot towards a state rival.

Terry Roberts endured a nightmarish remaining minute for Georgia.

Kelly hit an extended 3-pointer after which a drove for the game-winning floater with 23 seconds remaining because the Yellow Jackets rallied to beat Georgia 79-77 on Tuesday evening.

Kelly hit the profitable shot in related trend towards Georgia State on Nov. 12. He did it once more to beat the Bulldogs, finishing with a team-high 17 points after failing to attain within the first half.

“I’m going to proceed to maintain capturing, regardless of what number of occasions I miss,” Kelly stated.

Roberts missed a 3-pointer, turned the ball over twice with dangerous passes, and was known as for an offensive foul as he was attempting to drive for the basket that may’ve despatched the sport to additional time.

“A troublesome end for us,” Georgia first-year coach Mike White stated. “We have been in place to steal one on the highway.”

A pair of second-chance buckets seemingly put Georgia (7-3) in management with a 77-73 lead.

The Bulldogs wouldn’t rating once more as Kelly led the comeback for the Yellow Jackets (6-3) — with a giant help from Roberts.

He had an opportunity to primarily seal it for the Bulldogs, however his jumper past the arc clanked off the rim.

Georgia Tech grabbed the rebound and raced down the courtroom, the place Kelly swished a 3 from properly behind the stripe that introduced Georgia Tech inside some extent with a few minute left.

Making an attempt to work the ball inside, Roberts made an ill-advised entry cross that was deflected and stolen by Deivon Smith, establishing Kelly’s drive for the basket that put the Yellow Jackets again forward,

Roberts tried a drive of his personal, solely to have it blocked by Jalon Moore. Georgia retained possession, however Roberts’ inbounds cross was stolen by Moore, who was fouled and made one in every of two free throws.

Roberts took the ball once more and hurriedly dribbled towards the basket, solely to be known as for an offensive foul when he despatched Smith flying.

“Simply sacrificing my physique for the crew,” Smith stated.

Georgia stole an inbounds cross round midcourt, giving Karlo Oquendo one final shot to launch a 3 that also would’ve received it for the Bulldogs. It bounced off the rim.

The sport was tight all through. Neither crew led by greater than eight, and a sequence within the second half confirmed simply how tightly these rivals have been matched.

With each squads enjoying at a frenetic tempo and displaying little regard for protection, the lead modified arms on eight straight possessions because the groups traded baskets.

Stunningly, they mixed to attain on 19 straight possessions earlier than Georgia’s Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe missed a pair of free throws with 5:17 remaining.

FIRING UP THE CROWD

Maybe the largest cheer of the evening got here when Georgia Tech soccer coach Brent Key addressed the gang at halftime.

Key, who served as interim coach for the final eight video games of the season, was launched Monday because the full-time selection for job.

He fired up the followers by getting them to chant “To hell with Georgia” time and again. When a smattering of Bulldogs followers responded with barks, Key smiled and egged on the Yellow Jackets crowd to drown them out.

He additionally declared Georgia Tech to be the “best college in your complete state, your complete nation,” following up his vow the day past to not again down from the defending nationwide champion and top-ranked Bulldogs.

BIG PICTURE

Georgia: This might be a tricky one to swallow for Roberts, who led his crew with 16 factors and 7 assists. The Bulldogs misplaced regardless of capturing 53.4% from the sphere.

Georgia Tech: 4 gamers scored in double figures, and two others gamers completed with eight factors. But it surely was Kelly, as typical, who had the ball in his arms on the finish of a decent recreation.

UP NEXT

Georgia: After an almost two-week break, the Bulldogs return to Atlanta on Dec. 18 to face Notre Dame at State Farm Enviornment within the Vacation Hoopsgiving occasion.

Georgia Tech: Head to North Carolina on Saturday for the Atlantic Coast Convention opener towards the struggling Tar Heels.

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