ATLANTA — Georgia Tech broke a six-game losing streak to ranked teams with a 76-70 victory over No. 12 Miami on Wednesday at McCamish Pavilion.
The Yellow Jackets hadn’t beaten a ranked team since defeating FSU in the 2021 ACC tournament.
The victory was Tech’s (8-6 overall, 1-3 ACC) first in the last game of a four-game homestand and its first in the conference this season.
The Jackets, who closed the game with a 12-0 run, were led by Lance Terry, who scored a team-high 24 points. Miles Kelly scored 20 and Deebo Coleman added 14.
Though Tech had a few scoreless droughts, which were a problem in its previous three games, none were long enough to cause the team too much damage.
Tech’s defense shone throughout. The Jackets held Miami scoreless in the final 4 minutes, 50 seconds. Miami, one of the better shooting and scoring teams in the ACC, was held to 35% shooting, including missing 27 of its 32 3-pointers. Tech hit 41% of its shots.
Tech built a 12-point lead with four minutes remaining in the first half. It was shooting 54% to Miami’s 39, was outrebounding the Hurricanes 17-11 and had five turnovers to the visitors' three.
But as Tech has done in its past few games, it lost its scoring touch and the ball too many times in the final minutes of the half. It scored just two points and Miami climbed back into the game with a 10-2 run to cut the Jackets’ lead to four at halftime. Tech finished the half with eight turnovers.
The second half was back and forth.
Trailing 70-64 and in a field goal-less drought of almost three minutes, Terry hit a running jumper in the lane to get Tech to within a basket with 2:41 remaining.
Coleman followed with two free throws on Tech’s next possession to tie the game at 70 with 2:15 left.
Tech forced a shot clock violation on Miami’s next possession.
Deivon Smith grabbed an offensive rebound and made a layup to give the Jackets a 72-70 lead with 1:17 remaining.
After another defensive stop, Kelly hit a short jumper to give Tech a 74-70 lead.
