Syracuse Defeats Georgia Tech, 60-57

Saturday, January 30

Syracuse, N.Y.

12:00 p.m.

Syracuse University

(15-8) (5-5)

Georgia Tech

(12-9) (2-6)

Georgia Tech

Syracuse

Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

1/30/2016 2:07:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - In a contest that featured 10 ties and nine lead changes, it was Syracuse that came out on top over Georgia Tech, 60-57, on Saturday afternoon at the Carrier Dome. The Orange (15-8, 5-5) led by no more than seven points throughout the contest, while free throws came out to be the deciding factor in the victory over the Yellow Jackets (12-9, 2-6).

Grad student Michael Gbinije led the Orange in scoring on the afternoon, racking up 16 points while adding three steals and three assists. Freshman Malachi Richardson tallied 13 points and seven rebounds, and senior DaJuan Coleman added 11 points.

Junior Tyler Roberson totaled a game-high eight rebounds, including four offensive boards. Freshman Franklin Howard posted a game-high and career-high six assists.

Two 3-pointers from Cooney and Gbinije started the Orange off on a 6-2 lead before the Yellow Jackets tied it up at six apiece. The first 11 minutes of the contest featured two ties and three lead changes, but the Orange began to build a lead heading into the last five minutes of the half, 29-22.

A 7-0 run by the Yellow Jackets knotted it up once again at the 29 mark with 2:19 left to play in the half, and the two teams proceeded to tie it up two more times in the final minute. A last-second three by Tyler Lydon evened the score at 35 heading into the locker rooms.

The teams tied it up once again to start the second half, until a pair of free throws from Coleman and a three by Gbinije created a 44-39 lead for the Orange. The sixth lead-change of the game came from a 3-pointer by the Yellow Jacket's Smith, putting the visiting team up by two at the 13:30 mark, 46-44.

The back-and-forth play didn't stop heading into the latter minutes of the half, as a layup by Roberson tied it at 49 before Georgia Tech went on a 4-0 scoring run to make it 53-49 with just over five minutes left to play.

Tied at 55-55, with 1:25 left to play, a pair of free throws from Gbinije put the Orange back on top. With Syracuse in the double bonus, another free throw by Richardson made it 58-55 with 16 seconds left. Two more free throws by Richardson with three seconds left sealed a 60-57 victory for the Orange.

Syracuse hosts Virginia Tech on Tuesday, February 2 at 8 p.m., in the third of its four-game homestand. Tickets are available at Cuse.com or by calling 1-888-DOME-TIX.