Ja’von Franklin made a free throw with two seconds left to give Georgia Tech a come-from-behind 61-60 win over Florida State in the opening round of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament Tuesday afternoon in Greensboro, N.C.
Miles Kelly scored 21 points for 13th-seeded Georgia Tech (15-17), which won for the sixth time in its last seven games and will carry momentum into its second-round matchup with fifth-seeded Pitt on Wednesday.
Franklin (10 points) scored his winning free throw after collecting his 19th rebound of the game and drawing a foul. It was the first lead of the second half for the Yellow Jackets, who trailed by 11 points with 15:53 left.
Florida State was led by freshman Cameron Corhen, who notched his first career double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Darin Green Jr. added 12 points for 12th-seeded Florida State (9-23), which finished the season with its most losses in program history.
The Seminoles were hampered by an ankle injury to top scorer and rebounder Matthew Cleveland. He needed to be helped to the locker room after rolling his ankle in the first half.
Cleveland returned in the second half but was limited on the sore ankle, finishing with eight points in 21 minutes.
Kelly and Franklin led the rally for Georgia Tech. Kelly made three 3-pointers in the final 14:14 and Franklin grinded inside, during one stretch, for three straight Yellow Jackets baskets.
A 3-pointer by Caleb Mills gave Florida State a 60-55 lead with 2:04 left, but those were the final points for the Seminoles.
Kelly answered immediately with a 3-pointer and Kyle Sturdivant hit a jumper from the lane with 56 seconds left to tie it 60-all and set the scene for Franklin’s heroics.
In the first half, when Georgia Tech missed seven straight shots during a cold streak that lasted more than six minutes, Florida State took advantage to grab the lead.
Green and Chandler Jackson made 3-pointers as the Seminoles went up 21-12.
Corhen had two buckets late in the half to help the Seminoles to a 31-21 lead at the break.
–Field Level Media
