CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Miles Kelly tied a career high with seven 3-pointers in scoring 25 points and Georgia Tech edged Miami 80-76 on Saturday.
Kelly was 7 of 11 from the arc with seven rebounds for the Yellow Jackets (12-16, 5-12 ACC), who won for just the second time in seven games. · Kelly moved into 10th place on Tech’s all-time list for 3-point field goals with 177. He needs three more to take over ninth place ahead of Drew Barry (179 from 1992-96).
Kowacie Reeves Jr. added 15 points and seven boards and Kyle Sturdivant had 10 points including four free throws over the final 40 seconds — the Yellow Jackets’ only points over the final seven minutes 7:03 when they saw a 13-point lead cut to 78-76 after Bensley Joseph’s 3-pointer with 17 seconds remaining.
“When you win the game, you don’t even realize it,” Georgia Tech coach Damon Stoudemire told reporters of the late scoring drought. “To me, it’s been indicative of our season. Nothing has come easy for us. We did a good job of persevering.”
Twelve of Tech’s 17 ACC games have been decided by single digits.
Joseph and Kyshawn George hit four 3-pointers apiece in each scoring 16 points for Miami (15-13, 6-11), which has lost seven straight. Wooga Poplar added 14 points and seven rebounds and Matthew Cleveland scored 10 points. Norchad Omier, Miami’s leading scorer and rebounder finished with seven points and six boards.
Georgia Tech tied a season high with 15 3s on 34 attempts. Miami made 13 of 36.
The Yellow Jackets committed six turnovers in the final four minutes and missed their final seven shots but after the Hurricanes got within three they went 1 of 7 over the final three minutes.
Tafara Gapare drove the lane for a dunk, Kelly hit a 3-pointer and Reeves had a transition dunk off a long bounce pass from Gapare that threaded the defense to open the second half as Georgia Tech outscored Miami 23-7 and lead by 12 midway through the period.
A 9-2 run capped by Poplar’s 3-pointer with four minutes left gave Miami a lead the Hurricanes took into the half, up 49-45.
Georgia Tech next hosts Florida State for their final home game of the regular season on Saturday.
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