Georgia Tech handles lowly Louisville
Ja’von Franklin scored season-high 21 points and Miles Kelly added 19 to lead Georgia Tech to an 83-67 victory over visiting Louisville in Atlantic Coast Conference play on Saturday at Atlanta.
Franklin shot 7 of 11 from the field to go along with 13 rebounds. Kelly hit 6 of 11 from the floor, including 5 of 10 from 3-point range, to go along with three assists.
Lance Terry chipped in 17 points and Kyle Sturdivant finished with 11 points and 10 assists for the Yellow Jackets (12-17, 4-14), who have won three of their past four games.
The Yellow Jackets shot 27 of 56 (48.2%) from the field, including 12 of 29 (41.4%) from 3-point range.
Louisville (4-25, 2-16) was led by Kamari Lands and El Ellis, who scored 15 points apiece, while Mike James added 14.
JJ Traynor chipped in 10 points and Jae’Lyn Withers finished with eight points and nine rebounds for the Cardinals, who have lost six of their past seven games and 16 of their past 18 contests.
Louisville shot 27 of 61 (44.3%) from the field, including a woeful 4 of 17 (23.5%) from beyond the arc.
Louisville trimmed Georgia Tech’s 52-34 lead early in the second half to 66-61 on Traynor’s dunk with 4:57 remaining. But the Yellow Jackets responded with Sturdivant’s three-point play and Jalon Moore’s layup for a 71-61 advantage with 3:50 to go.
Terry’s 3-pointer extended the Yellow Jackets’ lead to 76-64 with 2:08 left.
Georgia Tech seized control after Withers’ 3-pointer gave Louisville a 24-22 lead with 7:38 left in the first half. The Yellow Jackets responded by going on a 23-8 run to take a 45-32 halftime advantage.
Terry scored 10 points and Coleman, Kelly and Franklin each had nine in
the first 20 minutes for Georgia Tech, which shot 16 of 30 (53.3%) from the field before the break, including an impressive 8 of 16 (50%) from beyond the arc.
Louisville was led by Lands’ nine first-half points, while Ellis added seven.
The Cardinals shot 14 of 28 (50%) from the field prior to halftime, including 2 of 10 (20%) from distance.