Jackets extend win streak with 79-56 over Florida Tech

ATLANTA- Georgia Tech continued to play well in an easy 79-56 win over Florida Tech on Saturday afternoon to close out non-conference play. Josh Pastner is not a fan of the bye in ACC play and always schedules a buy game in-season and the Panthers made the trip up from Melbourne to Atlanta to fill the bill.

Ja’von Franklin continued his strong play recording his third straight double-double and sixth overall this season with a 13-point, 14-rebound performance that included six offensive rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and a steal.

“Good win for the Jackets, we’ve gotten better and we’ve improved, we are just a month behind. On Jan 4th we beat Miami and I thought that was our team, we beat a top 15 team and didn’t turn the corner. We started to now a month late,” Pastner said. “We did another great job on the offensive glass and Ja’von Franklin was a JR College kid, went to Auburn didn’t play, went to South Alabama and played so it has taken him time to adjust to the ACC and it is evident that he belongs in this league."

Franklin said the slow start was big in his mind coming out of the half and he tried to assert himself offensively.

“In the first half I didn’t have but two points, so I came out with the mentality that I needed to score more and then get to where we could get some of the other guys in the game,” Franklin said.

Tech started slow but pulled ahead by eight at the break after trailing for a big chunk of the first half, but the Panthers never led by more than three. Tech ended up with a 23-point lead to end the game holding Florida Tech scoreless for large stretches of the second half.

The Jackets have won three in a row at home and three extremely close road losses sandwiched around those wins against Louisville, NC State, and Wake Forest. Franklin thinks his team is gelling at the right time.

"I think the last couple of games we have been playing the right way and the last game was a really good victory and I’ve been trying to play the right way and I think we have a lot of momentum,” Franklin said.

Franklin's path to Tech has been a long one, so he is trying to savor his final season of college basketball.

“I played one year in junior college, I broke my leg my second year and then I went to Auburn and didn’t play a lot there. Then I went to South (Alabama) and played well and then I came here, I’ve tried to really enjoy it,” Franklin said.

Tech ends non-conference play at 8-3 the best mark under Pastner.

"That finished our non-conference part of our schedule we were 8-3, beat Georgia State, beat Georgia here and should’ve beat Utah and we took care of business against the teams we were supposed to,” Pastner said.

Lance Terry led the way offensively with 19 points including some key buckets when the Jackets’ offense got stuck in the first half.

"Coach was drawing up some plays and they happened to go my way and I took a couple of shots that looked pretty good and then came my way,” Terry said. “We have to bring the same energy it doesn’t matter who we play, Duke, Virginia Tech, or Florida Tech. Today we did a poor job of coming out with the right energy, we need to continue to come out with good energy.”

Miles Kelly added 12 points and Jalon Moore added 15 points and six rebounds (five offensive) off the bench.

After a very slow start defensively the Jackets pulled ahead late in the first half to take control of the game 37-28 at the break. Terry led the way with 10 points in the first half of the Jackets with Moore adding nine points and Kelly with eight. Rebounding and second-chance points kept the first half close with the Jackets giving up eight offensive rebounds and 10 second-chance points to just two for the Jackets.

One of the high points of the game came late when Pastner emptied his bench getting minutes for Freds Pauls Bagatskis, Cyril Martynov and walk-ons Coleman Boyd, Brayden Daniels and Jermontae Hill. Bagatskis his a jumper just inside the three-point line and Hill threw down a thunderous dunk to end the game to the delight of the crowd and the Tech bench.

“It is great seeing those guys going in and all of us were standing up and cheering for them and we were really excited to see them go in,” Terry said of the end of the rotation guys getting two or three minutes of action late.

Franklin enjoyed Hill's dunk in particular.

“It was fun to see those guys play and at the end of the game Jermontae got the dunk, it was just fun to see those guys play,” Franklin said.

Pastner likes to schedule these types of games instead of just having practice during the Jackets' bye week.

“We played the right way for the most part and if we weren’t playing today we would’ve practiced so I look at this like good minutes for cardio and conditioning and we will have a good opportunity against Pitt on Tuesday,” Pastner said.

Moore thinks the Jackets still have a chance to make some noise in the ACC even if it comes in the ACC Tournament in Greensboro where the Jackets will be a low seed playing on day one of the tournament with a hard pathway to the finals.

“I feel like we are coming together as one and we are going out and putting together a full 40 minutes and I think we will definitely finish the season strong and make a run in the ACC Tournament," Moore said.

Tech improved to 3-2 on the season with the starting lineup of Franklin, Terry, Sturdivant, Coleman, and Kelly.

Deivon Smith missed his second straight game with an ankle injury. Pastner said he is unsure if he will be available for ACC leaders Pitt on Tuesday.

“Deivon wants to play at Pitt, but I still think he is doubtful based on feedback from the trainer. He needs to at least practice, Tuesday is doubtful, and the following Saturday probable (for Louisville),” Pastner said.

Tech faces the ACC version of the Panthers (19-7, 12-3 ACC) on Tuesday night in Petersen Events Center still looking for the first true road win of the season. The game will tipoff at 7 pm on the ACC Network with Pitt holding a six-game win streak heading into their game with Virginia Tech Saturday night.

Georgia Tech actually trailed 13-10 at the first media timeout with 14:07 left thanks to six second-chance points for the Panthers. Tech pulled ahead during an effective stretch hitting four of five field goals to make it 24-20. The Panthers hit another three to make it 24-23 at the third media timeout with 7:38 left. The Jackets' defense blanked the Panthers for almost the entire half after one more bucket holding Florida Tech to one field goal in the final six minutes of the half and a free throw to take a 37-28 lead to the locker room.

Tech maintained control of the game in the second half and extended the lead to double-digits up to 15 at the 12:41 mark. Tech maintained control of the game throughout the second half. Panthers forward Mekhii Noble fouled out with 7:13 to go in the game. The Jackets went on a 9-0 run to extend the lead to 22 and Pastner opened up his bench at that point bringing in Jordan Meka and Freds Pauls Bagatskis. Jermontae Hill got a dunk to end the game off the bench.