{{pageModel.leagueAbbr}} {{pageModel.subtitle}} | Las Vegas Review-Journal
National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Virginia Tech 52, Georgia Tech 49
When: 7:00 PM ET, Wednesday, January 9, 2019
Where: McCamish Pavilion, Atlanta, Georgia
Officials: # Doug Simmons, # Lee Cassell, # Bert Smith
Attendance: 6166

Georgia native Ahmed Hill scored 15 points to lead No. 9 Virginia Tech to a 52-49 win over Georgia Tech on Wednesday in Atlanta, giving the Hokies their ninth straight win.

Hill shot 6-for-14 from the floor, producing a buzzer-beating layup to end the first half, a sprawling three-point play in the first minute of the second half and two emphatic slam dunks.

Virginia Tech (14-1, 3-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) equaled its best start since 1982-83. The Hokies extended their winning streak over Georgia Tech to five games.

The Hokies also got 14 points and 10 rebounds from Kerry Blackshear Jr. and 10 points from Justin Robinson.

Georgia Tech (9-6, 1-1 ACC) was led by guard Jose Alvarado with 20 points, 17 of those in the first half, and four assists. Abdoulaye Gueye added 11 points and six rebounds.

After Georgia Tech scored the first two points, Virginia Tech reeled off 11 straight and appeared on the verge of an early runaway. However, the Hokies didn't score again for four minutes, which allowed Georgia Tech to gather itself.

Alvarado scored 10 of the next 12 Georgia Tech points and closed the margin to one point with 8:23 left before halftime.

The Yellow Jackets got as close as one point on two later occasions but could not catch up.

Georgia Tech called timeout with nine seconds left in the half to set up a potential play to tie the game, but Robinson stole the ball from Michael Devoe and passed to Hill, who made an off-balance layup as time expired. That put Virginia Tech ahead 29-24.

The Hokies outscored Georgia Tech 8-3 to start the second half and regained their 10-point lead. Hill opened the scoring with a three-point play, then added a 3-point basket and a slam dunk to finish a fastbreak.

However, Georgia Tech kept pecking away and finally tied it on an unlikely 3-pointer by Gueye with 4:19 remaining. It was Gueye's first 3-pointer of the season and only his second attempt.

Brandon Alston scored on a driving layup to give Georgia Tech the lead, but Robinson answered with a 3-pointer for the Hokies, giving them a 50-49 lead with 3:09 left.

Georgia Tech had chances to take the lead in the final minutes.

Devoe missed the front end of a one-and-one with 1:24 to go, and James Banks missed a layup with 35 seconds left. After Blackshear made one of two free throws, Georgia Tech still had a chance to tie the game, but Alston threw the ball out of bounds with three seconds left.

Robinson sank 1 of 2 foul shots in the final second.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Virginia Tech   Georgia Tech
Ahmed Hill 15 Scoring Jose Alvarado 20
Nickeil Alexander-Walker 6 Assists Jose Alvarado 4
Kerry Blackshear Jr. 10 Rebounds Michael Devoe 6
Kerry Blackshear Jr. 8 Free Throws Made Jose Alvarado 5
Wabissa Bede 1 Steals Jose Alvarado 2
Kerry Blackshear Jr. 1 Blocks James Banks III 2
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Virginia Tech 52 29.8 5-27 13-19 12 30 2 3 9
Georgia Tech 49 44.7 6-16 9-16 12 29 4 5 18