Orange Come Up Short at Georgia Tech

Sunday, February 19

Atlanta, GA

6:30 PM

Syracuse University

16-12 (8-7ACC)

Georgia Tech

16-11 (7-7ACC)

Syracuse

Georgia Tech

Photo by: David Gunn

2/19/2017 8:46:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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Thompson tallies first-career double-double

ATLANTA, Ga. – Freshman Taurean Thompson tallied his first-career double-double and the Orange came as close as two points in the final three minutes of play at McCamish Pavilion, but the comeback was short as Syracuse (16-12, 8-7 ACC) fell to Georgia Tech (16-11, 7-7 ACC), 71-65, on Sunday night in Atlanta.

Thompson scored a team-high 18 points and a career-high 12 rebounds on the night for the double-double. The freshman had 14 first-half points to lead the Orange into the locker room.

Georgia Tech put up a 20-5 run to start the second half and claim a 49-37 12-point lead out of the locker room.

The Yellow Jackets continued the push, as Syracuse faced a 13-point 60-47 deficit with 3:21 on the clock. Graduate transfer Andrew White III cut the Yellow Jackets' lead to 10 with a long 3-pointer. White III finished the night with 17 points and seven rebounds, marking his 27th double-digit game this season.

Sophomore Frank Howard matched it with a triple basket of his own to come within seven, 62-55, with 2:36 to play.

The Orange continued the momentum, as a pair of layups from sophomore Tyler Lydon and Thompson closed the gap to six points, 65-59, before Syracuse called a timeout with 1:41 remaining in the game. Lydon finished the night with a career-high and game-leading 15 rebounds.

Both clubs added a basket to the scoreboard before Thompson sealed a layup off of an offensive rebound to bring the game back within six points, 67-61.

With just 58 seconds remaining, freshman Tyus Battle grabbed an offensive rebound and found graduate transfer John Gillon, who drained a 3-pointer from the corner cut the Georgia Tech lead to three, 67-64.

Gillon surpassed Brandon Triche on Syracuse's all-time list for consecutive free throws, as the guard now owns the top spot with 38-straight this season. Triche set the previous record of 37 for the Orange in 2011. Gillon also had six assists on the night.

A free throw from Lydon brought the Orange within two, 67-65, after an inbounding steal and a foul to mark the closest Syracuse would come for the remaining seconds of the game.

The Orange were unable to tie the game, as four-straight free throws from the Yellow Jackets closed out action in Atlanta on top, 71-65.

Syracuse began a first-half 10-0 comeback run with a pair of back-to-back 3-pointers from White III to lead, 26-21. The Yellow Jackets were able to close out the half trailing by just three, 32-29.

Syracuse has just two home games remaining, including Wednesday night's matchup with Duke in the Carrier Dome at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at Cuse.com, by phone at 1-888-DOME-TIX or in person at Gate B at the Carrier Dome.