ATLANTA, GA – Another upset bid was not to be. Despite carrying a 7 point lead over #17 Louisville into the locker room at halftime, the Yellow Jackets were unable to stave off the Cardinals at home Saturday afternoon. Strong games from Damion Lee (17 points) and Anas Mahmoud (15 points, 4 rebounds) led the way for Louisville.
“Without question the key to the game was going to Anas Mahmoud,” said Louisville head coach Rick Pitino. “Anas is the best passing big man, his length bothers people, but more importantly he’s got a great low post game.”
It was clear Louisville found something they liked in Mahmoud who played a career high 27 minutes. During the game’s final 10 minutes Mahmoud scored 7 of his career-high 15 points, using his length and quickness in the post to get around Georgia Tech’s big men. Mahmoud’s previous high was 7 points.
Georgia Tech led 55-50 before Mahmoud and Louisville took over during the final 10 minutes.
The Cardinals’ focused effort offensively paired well with the disruption their defense caused on the other end. Down the stretch the Jackets struggled to create easy shots in the face of Louisville’s full court press and half court match-up zone. Tech frequently faced end of clock situations and were taken out of rhythm by the Cardinals’ trademark ball pressure.
Despite the differences in record and ranking, Tech largely held tough. The Jackets shot 23 free throws compared to Louisville’s 25, led by Marcus Georges-Hunt’s perfect 12 for 12 from the line. The Jackets won the rebound battle 41-33 and committed just 11 turnovers for the game.
In the end it came down to making plays. Inopportune turnovers and fouls played pivotal roles. In that final 10 minutes, Louisville forced the Jackets into 3 turnovers and committed none themselves.
With 1:01 remaining and the game tied 69-69, Georges-Hunt earned his 5th foul attempting to block Mahmoud at the rim. Mahmoud converted both free throws.
“I actually thought I got it clean,” said Georges-Hunt. While the whistle was certainly debatable, the end result was the Jackets’ best player and shot-creator on the bench when Tech needed a basket most.
Georgia Tech, 1-5 in the ACC, now looks to snap their 3-game losing skid on the road at North Carolina State. The Wolfpack, coming off a loss at home to Duke, look much like the Jackets with their 1-6 ACC record. If Tech’s fading chances at an NCAA tournament bid are to gain any momentum, it almost certainly needs to start with a win Wednesday night in Raleigh.
