ATLANTA, Ga. — UNC Asheville came within one free throw of forcing overtime at Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Saturday afternoon before a foul in the final seconds handed the Yellow Jackets a 75-74 win at McCamish Pavilion.
The Bulldogs trailed 74-71 when Connor Dubsky buried a 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds left to tie the game. Georgia Tech then inbounded the ball to Victor Valdes about 10 feet from the baseline, and UNC Asheville forward Myles Mayfield fouled him. Valdes hit one of his two free throws for the winning point.
Bulldogs coach Mike Morrell briefly dropped to the floor after the whistle, and teammates gathered around Mayfield before Morrell pulled him aside. Broadcasters calling the game suggested Mayfield may have believed UNC Asheville still needed to foul to extend the game, not realizing the score was tied.
The finish overshadowed a strong day for Mayfield, who made 9 of 11 shots from the field and led all scorers with 21 points. Until those final seconds, he had been the steadiest player on the floor for either team.
The loss stung for a Bulldogs team that held the lead for 31 minutes and 5 seconds of the 40-minute game and was ahead by 10 with 6:30 to go in the second half before Georgia Tech rallied.
The Yellow Jackets improved to 4-0 in their first season under coach Scott Cross. Georgia Tech needed a late rally on its home floor to stay unbeaten. Back home, UNC Asheville Bulldogs basketball is part of the city’s winter calendar, and the one-point road loss showed a Bulldogs team able to control most of a game against a bigger program.
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