Sports

Georgia Tech Survive Test From Tigers

Rodney Hunter II

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Georgia Tech snared the final spot on Saturday’s ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament semifinal card, but it didn’t come easy.

The third-seeded Yellow Jackets weathered a determined test from 11th-seeded Clemson, posting a 60-57 win in Friday night’s final quarterfinal game at Greensboro Coliseum. Georgia Tech (15-7) will face second-seeded NC State (18-2) in Saturday’s 2:30 p.m. semifinal.

Friday night’s outcome wasn’t settled until a potential game-tying 3-point shot by Clemson freshman Weronika Hipp bounded off the rim just before the game-ending buzzer. The Tigers (11-13) had forced a Yellow Jacket turnover on an inbounds play with 15 seconds left to set up the final attempt.

Kierra Fletcher led Georgia Tech with 21 points, including a driving layup with 24.5 seconds left that gave the Yellow Jackets a 60-55 lead. Teammate Lorela Cubaj pulled down an eye-opening 18 rebounds and added 12 points, including two key baskets in the closing minutes. Freshman Loyal McQueen added 14 points on 4-of-8 shooting from 3-point range.

The Yellow Jackets needed each of those heroics and more against the determined Tigers, who were paced by senior guard Delicia Washington’s game-high 24 points and a 14-point effort by sophomore Amari Robinson.

Clemson held the upper hand early before McQueen knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers late in the first half, fueling an 11-0 run that lifted Clemson from a 28-25 deficit to a 36-28 lead early in the third quarter. The Yellow Jackets briefly led by as many as 10 points later in the period, but the Tigers refused to go away.

Repeating the script from Thursday night’s second-round win over Notre Dame, Clemson scrapped back to within one point (52-51) midway through the fourth quarter and stayed around until the end. But after winning with a fantastic finish against the Fighting Irish 24 hours earlier, the Tigers couldn’t quite muster the magic two nights in a row.

Georgia Tech’s Saturday matchup against NC State will mark the first time the teams have met since New Year’s Eve in Atlanta, when the Wolfpack claimed an 84-75 win. The Yellow Jackets will be making their first appearance in the ACC Tournament semifinals since 2012.