Associated Press
ATLANTA ó Lewis Clinch scored a career-high 30 points in his final regular-season home game and Georgia Tech beat Miami 78-68 on Wednesday night to end a seven-game losing streak.
Clinch, a senior playing in his final home game, made 9 of 16 3-point attempts as Georgia Tech (11-17, 2-13 Atlantic Coast Conference) took its first win since beating Wake Forest on Jan. 31.
Clinch’s high mark for 3-pointers in an ACC game this season tied the second-highest total in school history, behind Dennis Scott’s 11 against Houston on Dec. 28, 1988.
Georgia Tech led 41-25 at halftime and took a 19-point advantage at 52-33.
Miami (17-11, 6-9) cut the lead to 58-51 on back-to-back baskets by Brian Asbury, who had 16 points. Jack McClinton had 13 points and James Dews added 11 for Miami.
Gani Lawal had 14 points for Georgia Tech.
Georgia Tech led by 16 points at the break behind six 3-pointers from Clinch. He continued his hot shooting with two more 3s in the first five minutes of the second half.
Clinch, standing alone on the right wing, added his ninth 3 with 5:47 remaining for a 65-53 lead. He finished the regular season by scoring more than 20 points in four straight games, and had only one other 20-point game before the hot finish.
Georgia Tech had a scare with 4:02 remaining when Clinch and Iman Shumpert fell to the floor with injuries. Clinch, who suffered a cramp, needed assistance to leave the court but returned to the game.
Shumpert suffered a bruised right hip and did not return. His status will be evaluated on Thursday.
McClinton made only 3 of 12 shots. Dews was 4 of 13 from the field as Miami shot only 32.4 percent from the field.