GREENSBORO, N.C. — -- What a difference a week can make.
The season that seemed all but lost for Georgia Tech last Saturday was given a dramatic jolt exactly seven days later, as the Yellow Jackets employed some late-game magic Saturday to stave off North Carolina State for a 57-54 win, in the process clinching a berth in Sunday’s 1 p.m. ACC tournament final with top-seeded Duke.
The appearance is Georgia Tech’s first since 2005, when it lost to Duke.
The game was won when Wolfpack guard Javier Gonzalez couldn’t hit a pair of 3-pointers as time expired. As has been the case this tournament, Georgia Tech’s defense arose once again, limiting the Wolfpack to a tame 30.6 percent field goal performance.
In the first half, Georgia Tech (22-11) was so disruptive defensively that it held the Wolfpack (19-15) to 1-for-12 shooting from beyond the 3-point arc, and prevented them from converting any fast-break or second chance scoring opportunities.
For much of the season, the Yellow Jackets have been paced on the offensive end by forwards Derrick Favors and Gani Lawal.
This game was no different.
Favors finished with 17 points, while Lawal had a double-double, scoring 12 points in addition to his 10 rebounds.
The game was not without some drama. With 1:30 remaining, as Yellow Jackets guard Iman Shumpert stole a pass near halfcourt, Gonzalez got tangled up with Favors and pulled the freshman forward’s jersey and body to the floor hard.
Players from both sides immediately began jawing at one another with referees forced to get between them.
This marks Georgia Tech’s seventh trip to the conference tournament finals since 1980. The Yellow Jackets have won thrice: in 1985, 1990 and 1993.
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