Cold-shooting FSU drops to .500 in ACC as Georgia Tech dominates in the trenches
ATLANTA — Kyle Sturdivant scored 17 of his 20 points in the second half, Baye Ndongo finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds and Georgia Tech pulled away to beat Florida State 85-76 on Saturday in the Yellow Jackets’ final home game.
Naithan George scored 15 points and Tafara Gapare and Tyzhaun Claude each had 10 rebounds and eight points for the Yellow Jackets (13-16, 6-12 ACC), who won back-to-back games for the first time since December and split the season series.
Jamir Watkins scored 15 points, Cameron Corhen 14 and Baba Miller and Primo Spears 13 each for the Seminoles (15-14, 9-9).
After the teams combined to shoot better than 51% in the first half when Georgia Tech took a 44-41 lead, the percentages plunged in the second half when they went 3 of 24 to start. But Ndongo’s tip followed by a transition dunk from Gapare in the midst of an 11-3 run gave Georgia Tech a 78-61 lead with just more than three minutes left.
The Yellow Jackets used a 55-33 rebounding dominance, including 21 on the offensive boards, to pile up 21 second-chance points. That helped offset 16 turnovers.
Georgia Tech shot 53% in the first half and led until three straight 3s by Darin Green Jr. tied the score at 23. Sturdivant hit a 3 and Claude added a bucket to close out the half with a three-point lead.
Florida State plays at Pitt Tuesday before concluding its regular season at home against Miami on Saturday. Georgia Tech finishes its schedule on the road at Wake Forest on Tuesday and Virginia on Saturday.