Pitt
15-16,6-14ACC
Georgia Tech
16-14,10-9ACC
Pitt Drops Regular Season Finale at Georgia Tech
3/4/2020 11:32:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Associated Press
ATLANTA - The University of Pittsburgh men's basketball team fell to ACC foe Georgia Tech, 73-57, in its regular season finale at the McCamish Pavillion Wednesday night.
Jose Alvarado scored 23 points, Michael Devoe added 13 and Georgia Tech won its third straight game.
Eric Hamilton finished with 12 points and 9 rebounds to pace Pittsburgh (15-16, 6-14). Justin Champagnie had 11 points and shot 7-of-7 from the free throw line, while Au'Diese Toney and Xavier Johnson each had eight points.
Two days after withdrawing an appeal of an NCAA postseason ban, the Yellow Jackets (16-14, 10-9 ACC) got some measure of satisfaction in earning their most wins in league play since 1995-96.
Johnson connected from three and Hamilton hit two free throws to help Pitt pull within four early in the second half, but the Jackets, fueled by Evan Cole's and Jordan Usher's dunks, went on a 15-4 run to go up 47-32 on Alvarado's three.
Alvarado scored on consecutive possessions and Devoe followed with a corner three-pointer to make it 59-43 with 7:47 remaining. Devoe hit another corner three that made it a 19-point.
Georgia Tech, which led throughout, has won six in a row at home in league play to finish 6-4. The Jackets, who began the day in a five-way tie for fifth place in the ACC, have won five of six overall and eight of 11.
They took their biggest lead in the first half at 18 on Alvarado's layup at the 3:41 mark, but Pitt got threes from Ryan Murphy, Gerald Drumgoole and Johnson to pull within nine at intermission.
Devoe hit a pair of free throws made it 20-9 midway through the for Georgia Tech's first double-digit lead.
Pitt has dropped seven straight since forcing 22 turnovers in a 74-63 win over Georgia Tech on Feb. 8. Champagnie, trying to become the first freshman to lead the Panthers in scoring and rebounding since Charles Smith in 1985-86, scored a season-high 30 in that game, but finished with 11 points tonight.
BIG PICTURE
Pitt: The Panthers struggled through much of the first half against Georgia Tech's 1-3-1 zone. Pitt finished the game 31% from the field and are on pace for the worst shooting season since the 1968-69 season.
Georgia Tech: After ranking near the bottom of the ACC in shooting in their first three years under coach Josh Pastner, the Jackets are second in field-goal percentage in ACC games and sixth in three-point accuracy.
UP NEXT
Pitt: ACC tournament next week in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Georgia Tech: Ends the season Friday at Clemson.
