Top-ranked Virginia had to work a little harder than expected, but was eventually able to fend off upset-minded Georgia Tech, 65-54, on Wednesday.
Playing the program’s first home game as a #1 team in more than 35 years, UVA (25-2, 14-1 ACC) had been a 15-point favorite coming in, but led just 31-30 at the half, and the lead was still just four into the final 10 minutes.
Georgia Tech (11-17, 4-11 ACC) would shoot just 4-of-15 from the floor the rest of the way. The Yellow Jackets have now lost 10 of their last 11 games.
Senior center Ben Lammers had a banner night in defeat, scoring 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting and pulling down seven rebounds in 39 minutes.
Lammers had scored just four points on 1-of-5 shooting from the floor in Georgia Tech’s 64-48 loss in Atlanta last month.
Ty Jerome had 18 points, 15 in the second half, to pace Virginia, shooting 5-of-9 from the floor and dishing out five assists in 38 minutes.
UVA shot 47.9 percent from the floor (23-of-48) for the game and hit on 50 percent (7-of-14) of its three-point attempts.
Georgia Tech 43.1 percent (22-of-51) from the floor and 30.8 percent (4-of-13) from three-point range.
Team Notes
- Virginia improved to 25-2 and 14-1 ACC
- UVA is 22-3 all-time in the 13 weeks as the top-ranked team
- UVA clinched the No. 1 seed for the ACC Tournament and will play its first game onThursday, March 8 at Noon ETat Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
- UVA also clinched a share of its eighth ACC regular-season title
- UVA has won 25 or more games for the eighth time in school history and fourth time under head coach Tony Bennett who coached his 400th career gametonight
- UVA swept the season series vs. Georgia Tech and is 41-40 all-time vs. the Yellow Jackets
- UVA has won 15 or more home games in five of the last six seasons
- Virginia limited its 26th opponent to less than 50 percent shooting (Georgia Tech – 43.1%)
- UVA has held 21 opponents to 60 points or less
- UVA led 31-30 at the half and improved to 23-0 when leading at the half
Player Notes
- Ty Jerome (18 points) reached double figures for the 12th time this season
- Mamadi Diakite had nine points (4 of 4 FG) as UVA owned a 19-4 advantage in bench scoring
- Kyle Guy extended his made 3-pointer streak to 27 games, marking the third longest streak in UVA history
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Chris Graham
