Dustin Ware hit his seventh 3-pointer of the game with 15.3 seconds remaining, leading Georgia to a 73-72 win over Georgia Tech on Tuesday night.
Ware scored all 21 of his points from outside the arc, missing only twice from long range. With the game tied at 70, Gerald Robinson drove toward the lane, luring the defense away from Ware, then kicked it back out to the 5-foot-11 junior standing all alone at the stripe.
Even with Mfon Udofia desperately running at him, Ware swished the shot to give the Bulldogs (6-2) a 73-70 lead. Georgia Tech (4-4) passed up a chance at a tying 3, settling for Glen Rice's uncontested layup with 6.8 seconds remaining.
Robinson missed a pair of free throws, giving the Yellow Jackets one last chance. But a long heave from the baseline was picked off in front of the Georgia basket by Travis Leslie, sealing the win for the road team.
Trey Thompkins also had 21 points for the Bulldogs. Iman Shumpert led Georgia Tech with 18 points but appeared to be struggling with cramps, forcing him to the bench in the critical final minutes, though senior Maurice Miller did a good job filling in.
The Yellow Jackets appeared to be in control when Miller made a slick move around Jeremy Price, dumping off a pass to Daniel Miller for a dunk that made it 70-65 with 2:14 remaining. But that would be Georgia Tech's final basket until Rice's layup near the end.
Thompkins worked inside, banked it in and was fouled by Daniel Miller. The free throw completed the three-point play, and Georgia was right back in the game. After Maurice Miller missed on a drive at the other end, Leslie grabbed the rebound and spotted Robinson breaking in the clear. He caught the pass right in stride and laid in the tying basket with 1:21 remaining.
Brian Oliver missed an awkward jumper looking to put the Yellow Jackets back in the lead. After calling a timeout when Thompkins got tied up under the basket, the Bulldogs drew up the winning shot by Ware, who let the ball go just before the shot clock buzzer went off.
Georgia completed a prize sweep of its state rival, following up a 42-34 victory in football 10 days earlier. The road team won for only the second time in the last 14 years, with the Bulldogs also winning in Atlanta almost a decade ago to the day.
The Yellow Jackets led by as many as 10 points in the first half before settling for a 35-29 edge at the break. Georgia finally took its first lead, 48-47, on Sherrard Brantley's 3-pointer with just over 12 minutes remaining.
Overall, the Bulldogs were 12 of 22 from beyond the arc, compared to an 8-of-20 performance by the Yellow Jackets.
