The Associated Press

Matt Carlino had a career-high 38 points to lead Marquette past Georgia Tech 72-70 Friday night in the opening round of the Orlando Classic.

After Georgia Tech's Tadric Jackson cut the Yellow Jackets' deficit to 69-68, Carlino made two free throws for a three-point lead. On the ensuing Georgia Tech possession, Marcus Georges-Hunt scored on a layup with 2 seconds to play, which only got the Yellow Jackets (3-1) within 71-70.

Marquette added one free late throw before a last-chance full-court Georgia Tech shot fell well short at the buzzer.

Carlino's long-range jumper put Marquette (3-2) ahead 41-37 6 minutes into the second half. Another 3-pointer by the guard and Duane Wilson's two free throws made it 58-49 with 6:40 left.

Marquette's Juan Anderson finished with 12 points. Carlino went 8 for 18 from the field and made 14 of 16 free throws.

Jackson had 17 points and Georges-Hunt added 14 for Georgia Tech, which was looking for its first 4-0 start since 2008-09.

Georgia Tech trailed most of the opening half, but took a 28-27 lead when Chris Bolden hit a 3 with 2 minutes left. Josh Heath's final-minute basket gave the Yellow Jackets a 31-29 halftime advantage.

Carlino had 15 first-half points, on 5-of-10 shooting.

Georgia Tech and Rider will meet Friday night in the consolation round.

Notes: The Yellow Jackets haven't won an early-season tournament since winning the 2003 Pre-Season NIT. ... Guard Travis Jorgenson, bothered by soreness in surgically-repaired right knee recently, was in the starting lineup and had no points and one assist in 14 minutes.

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Orange Crush event organizer Steven Smalls looks out at Tybee Island's South Beach, site of the 2025 HBCU spring break festival scheduled for April 19 on Georgia's coast. (Justin Taylor/The Atlanta Journal Constitution)

Credit: Justin Taylor for The Atlanta Journal Constitution