THE FLATS – Devon Smith recorded his second-straight double-double, but a 17-5 mid-game run by Pitt proved to be the difference in Georgia Tech men’s basketball’s 71-60 loss to the visiting Panthers on Saturday afternoon at McCamish Pavilion.
A 6-foot-1 guard, Smith scored 15 points and grabbed a career-high-tying 11 rebounds for his second double-double of the week (he had 16 points and 10 rebounds in Tuesday’s overtime loss at Notre Dame). However, Smith’s performance could not overcome the Yellow Jackets’ mid-game lull, which saw Tech’s 31-29 lead with 3:21 to go in the first half turn into a 46-36 deficit with less than 15 minutes to go in the game .
The other defining stat in Tech’s 11-point loss was a 17-point differential at the free-throw line, as Pitt made 17-of-20 free throws while the Jackets went 0-for-3.
In addition to Smith’s double-double, Deebo Coleman scored 13 points and Rodney Howard pulled down 10 rebounds to help lead the Yellow Jackets (8-9, 1-6 ACC). As a team, Tech made 12 3-pointers, three more than it had previously made in an Atlantic Coast Conference game this season. However, the Jackets made just 12 shots inside the arc and were outscored 30-16 in the paint.
Four players scored in double figures for Pitt, led by Nike Sibande’s 21 points.
Georgia Tech continues a three-game homestand on Tuesday when it hosts NC State. Tipoff is set for 7 pm at McCamish Pavilion and the contest will be televised nationally on the ACC Network.
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