Friday March 29th, 2024 7:03AM

Jackets fall to N.C. State at the buzzer

By The Associated Press
ATLANTA -- Trevor Lacey scored 19 points and hit a straightaway 3-pointer at the overtime buzzer to help North Carolina State snap a three-game losing streak and beat Georgia Tech 81-80 on Saturday.<br /> <br /> Anthony "Cat" Barber played the entire game and finished with 23 points and Kyle Washington added 14 points as the Wolfpack (14-9, 5-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) won for the second time in six games.<br /> <br /> Quinton Stephens missed two free throws with 4.7 seconds remaining that would've given Georgia Tech a four-point lead, but Cody Martin grabbed a defensive rebound and passed up court to a racing Lacey, who stopped short of 3-point line to hit the winner.<br /> <br /> Marcus Georges-Hunt scored 23 points, Charles Mitchell had 18 points and Travis Jorgenson 14 for Georgia Tech (10-11, 1-8).<br /> <br /> The Yellow Jackets led by four with 19 seconds remaining, but Lacey hit a layup to make it 80-78 and then closed with flurry.<br /> <br /> Georgia Tech, which was coming off a surprisingly easy 20-point win at Miami, trailed by 14 points five times in the first half, taking their first lead when Georges-Hunt's three-point play made it 51-49 with 10:35 left in regulation.<br /> <br /> In the closing seconds of regulation, Georges-Hunt had two chances to win it but missed a runner with 4.7 seconds remaining and was called for charging.<br /> <br /> Lacey's desperation 3 from just inside the half-court line bounced off the rim as the buzzer sounded.<br /> <br /> The Wolfpack were outrebounded 49-31, but they had just eight turnovers and finished with five more assists than the Jackets.<br /> <br /> Georgia Tech closed within six in the first half after Demarco Cox hit a pair of free throws at the 2:17 mark.<br /> <br /> Barber's straightaway 3 at the halftime buzzer put N.C. State up 40-31.<br /> <br /> ---<br /> <br /> TIP-INS<br /> <br /> N.C. State: Anthony "Cat" Barber was a combined 3 for 14 against in the Wolfpack's last two games, home losses to Notre Dame and Clemson. Against the Jackets, he hit six of his first eight shots from the field and finished 9 for 12. ... Abdul-Malik Abu has fouled out in two of the last three games. When he picked up his fourth foul with 17:45 remaining, his team leading by nine. When he returned almost 9 minutes later, the Wolfpack were down 56-52. He missed three free throws of four and Tech led 62-58. Wolfpack coach Mark Gottfried stamped his feet hard in frustration with the freshman when Abu fouled out at the 2:16 mark.<br /> <br /> Georgia Tech: Seven of the Jackets' eight ACC losses have been by seven points or less. ... Coach Brian Gregory dropped to 17-44 in the league.<br /> <br /> UP NEXT<br /> <br /> N.C. State: Visits Wake Forest on Tuesday.<br /> <br /> Georgia Tech: Visits No. 4 Duke on Wednesday.
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