The No. 24 ranked Jackets returned home last Thursday, Feb. 3 to face ACC foe No. 12 Maryland looking to get back to winning after a difficult overtime loss in the previous game against Miami. Still, the Jackets could not right the ship against the Terps as they lost 56-53 on a buzzer beater by Maryland with 1.2 seconds left.
The loss drops the Jackets to No. 6 in the ACC, a game and a half behind the first place Duke Blue Devils.
Tech was held to the lowest point total of the season against the Terps. Senior forward Alex Montgomery led the Jackets with a double-double, scoring 13 points on four-of-13 shooting to go with 15 rebounds.
Freshman guard Tyaunna Marshall added 14 points for Tech, on seven-of-12 shooting.
What proved to be the Jackets’ weakness was shooting percentage. Tech shot just 25.9 percent in the first half, sinking just seven of the 27 field goals attempted. This allowed Maryland to jump out to an early lead and grab a quick rebounding advantage.
At the end of the first half Maryland held a seven-point lead and led in several statistical categories. The Terps bested Tech in points in the paint, second chance points and points off the bench .
In the second half, the Jackets came out hot, erasing Maryland’s lead within the first three minutes of the half. Tech grabbed the lead at a 30-29 lead at the 17:10 mark on a free throw by Montgomery. The lead would prove tough to hold, as the Terps battled back and took the lead later in the half, 41-40.
The final 4:45 was a tight back and forth matchup and the game went down to the wire. Tech scored just three points in this final stretch, including a scoreless drought for the final 3:07 of the game. Tech let Maryland fight back to tie the game at 53 with just under one minute left.
When play resumed, a critical turnover by Tech junior center Sasha Goodlett allowed the Terps to get the ball down the court and call a final timeout. Rogers knocked down the baseline jumper to seal the game in favor of Maryland.
This is the first time the Jackets has lost back-to-back games this season. Tech shot just 37 percent from the field to go along with shooting just 58 percent from the free throw line.
Maryland took advantage of Tech’s poor shooting day and shot 40 percent from the floor and 29 percent from beyond the arc.
Maryland also had a significant advantage over the Jackets, outscoring Tech in points in the paint, points off turnovers and second-chance points.
Tech next plays at Florida State on Friday, Feb. 11.