A trip to Atlanta on Saturday proved to be a forgettable one for a shorthanded Clemson team without Hunter Tyson in the lineup.
The Tigers dropped to 12-10 overall and 4-7 in Atlantic Coast Conference play following a 69-64 setback to Georgia Tech (10-12, 3-8) who entered the meeting dead last in conference standings.
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Clemson, which entered the matchup having won six of its last nine meetings against the Yellow Jackets, shot just 41.4-percent and converted just six of 24 three-point baskets (25%). Both teams committed 18 turnovers.
The Yellow Jackets had three players reach double figures in scoring, led by Deivon Smith's 18 points.
A P.J. Hall layup on Clemson's first possession put the Tigers on the board first. The Tigers would quickly mount an 8-2 advantage after baskets from David Collins and Naz Bohannon.
Tech would soon respond with an impressive 24-2 run that would ultimately prove insurmountable for the Tigers. After a seven and a half minute scoring drought, the Tigers would finally add a basket courtesy of Ian Schieffelin. With five minutes remaining before intermission, Tech enjoyed a 26-12 lead.
Al-Amir Dawes would drill a three-point basket with 0:54 left before the break to cap all scoring in the first half which saw Clemson head to the locker room down 33-20. Dawes would join Hall as the only two Tigers to reach double figures in scoring, both adding 18 points apiece.
Clemson cranked up an 8-0 run to begin the second half, highlighted by two more Dawes three-pointers. Tech would waste no time in responding after a Dallan Coleman three-pointer that gave the home team a 44-30 advantage with just under five minutes into the period.
The second of two free throw conversions by Collins with 0:20 remaining would cut Tech's lead to 67-64. It would be the Tigers' final scoring of the contest with the Yellow Jackets securing a 69-64 victory following free throws from Kyle Sturdivant and Jordan Usher.
The Yellow Jackets shot 43.9% and hit 10-of-25 (40%) from long range. Usher (14 points) and Miles Kelly (10 points) joined Smith in reaching double figure scoring totals for the Jackets.
Hall, who now has 21 consecutive games reaching double figures in scoring, joined Bohannon and Tech's Smith with a game-high eight rebounds.
Clemson head coach Brad Brownell is now 17-8 all-time versus Georgia Tech.
The Yellow Jackets will head to Miami on Wednesday while Clemson will return to Littlejohn Coliseum on Tuesday to face North Carolina. The game, set for a 6:00 p.m. tip, will be televised by the ACC Network.
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