Georgia Tech’s first win without forward Robert Carter gave an indication of what the Yellow Jackets will need to have a chance in the ACC this season — superior effort and performance.
Tech withstood Notre Dame’s second-half rally with help from all eight players used by coach Brian Gregory, emerging with a 74-69 win Saturday at McCamish Pavilion in the Jackets’ ACC home opener.
“Some really good things to build on, some things that we’ve got to do better,” Gregory said. “But I always say, at this point, you just want your guys, when they’re done, to know that they left it all on the court, and they did that (Saturday).”
In their first game against Tech as an ACC member, the Fighting Irish (10-6 overall, 1-2 ACC) reduced Tech’s 13-point first-half lead to two before halftime and overcame a 15-point second-half deficit to nudge ahead three times in the final four minutes. The Jackets, boosted by an emphatic home crowd, surged again at the end, receiving clutch baskets from center Daniel Miller, forward Kammeon Holsey and guard Trae Golden and deciding free throws in the final 10 seconds from guard Chris Bolden and forward Quinton Stephens.
Tech (10-6, 1-2) avoided what would have been a crushing home loss early in conference play and a third defeat in which it led by double digits. Instead, the Jackets will go into Tuesday night’s home game against Pittsburgh, which also will play its first game against Tech as an ACC member, with some good feeling.
Perhaps no one will feel better than Golden, who scored 15 of his team-high 20 points in the first half to push the Jackets to an early advantage. Golden did his damage in only 28 minutes and with 11 shots — he averaged 37 minutes in the first two ACC games — adding four assists as Gregory sought to keep his legs fresh. Among his gems were a deft reverse layup, with a foul, in the first half and a 3-pointer with 45 seconds to play that gave Tech the lead for good at 70-68.
“Earlier, maybe 12, 13 minutes, coach Gregory told me, ‘Big-time players are going to step up and knock down some big-time shots for us,’” he said. “He was like, ‘If you get it, shoot it,’ because he felt like the game was going to come down to the wire.”
Miller scored 10 points on nine shots with 13 rebounds for his third double-double of the season, along with four blocks and two assists. His shot-blocking threat on Notre Dame center Garrick Sherman induced Sherman to miss his first nine shots and required him to take 18 shots for 13 points.
“He is a heck of a college basketball player,” Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said of Miller. “I’m very impressed with him.”
Bolden scored a season-best 14 points off the bench, perhaps stopping a season-long slump. Before Saturday, he had shot 24.7 percent from the field and 24.2 percent from 3-point range and lost his starting spot in the process.
Against Notre Dame, he was 4-for-11 from the field and 4-for-8 from 3-point range, matching his career-high for 3-pointers and attempts. With Tech leading 70-69 with 9.2 seconds left, he made both ends of a one-and-one to give the Jackets a three-point lead. In the final seconds, Fighting Irish guard Eric Atkins rushed a long 3-pointer that Stephens rebounded to secure the win.
“Making ’em in the games, it feels a lot better than making ’em in practice,” said Bolden, who has hoisted up to 300 shots daily to relocate his stroke and confidence.
Guard Corey Heyward and Stephens were the only other bench players used by Gregory against Notre Dame — guard Solomon Poole did not play because of a migraine and was to see a doctor Saturday. Heyward contributed 12 useful minutes and Stephens 21 as his role as a “stretch 4” forward continues to grow.
“He’s skinny and doesn’t weigh much, but he comes in there and he plays as hard as he can,” Miller said of Stephens, the 6-foot-8, 184-pound freshman from Marist.
Carter, who tore the meniscus in his left knee against Charlotte on Dec. 29 and likely is out for the season, cheered from the bench.
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