MIDWEST REGIONAL : Georgia Tech Fights to Finish Again, but Loses in Overtime

Georgia Tech, which ousted USC from the NCAA tournament on a 25-foot shot by forward James Forrest as time expired last week, ran out of miracles.

The Yellow Jackets wasted a 10-point second-half lead and lost to Memphis State, 83-79, in overtime in an NCAA Midwest Regional semifinal Friday night before 14,388 at the Kemper Arena.

“Obviously, it hurts very much because we thought we had it won,” Georgia Tech Coach Bobby Cremins said. “We were so close. I can’t say enough about Memphis State, they’re for real.”

Memphis State (23-11) will play Cincinnati (28-4) in the Midwest Regional final Sunday. Cincinnati defeated Texas El Paso, 69-67. Cincinnati defeated Memphis State three times during the season, including a 75-63 victory in the final of the Great Midwest Conference tournament.

Trailing by five points with 2:01 remaining, Memphis State outscored Georgia Tech, 8-3, to send the game into overtime with the score tied, 74-74, after guard Billy Smith made a five-foot bank shot off a pass from forward Anfernee Hardaway with 11 seconds remaining.

With the Tigers trailing by 71-66 with 2:12 remaining in regulation, Hardaway, who had a team-high 24 points, scored four consecutive points, making a three-point shot with 1:45 to play and a free throw with 37 seconds remaining in regulation after he was fouled on Memphis State’s ensuing possession.

After Tech center Matt Geiger made a layup and added a free throw with 36.7 seconds remaining to give Georgia Tech a 74-70 lead, center Anthony Douglas made a four-foot follow shot to make the score 74-72 with 19 seconds remaining. The Tigers fouled Geiger on the inbounds play and he missed the front end of a one-and-one free-throw situation with 17 seconds remaining.

Georgia Tech had a chance to win in regulation after Smith’s basket, but the Yellow Jackets didn’t get off a good shot as forward Malcolm Mackey was trapped in the backcourt on the inbounds play and guard Travis Best was forced to throw up a long shot as time expired.

The Tigers went on a 9-2 run in the final three minutes of the five-minute overtime as guard Tony Madlock made six consecutive free throws. The Tigers advanced to the final eight for the first time since 1985.

“These youngsters never gave up, they never quit,” Memphis State Coach Larry Finch said.

Guard Jon Barry led Georgia Tech (23-12) with 29 points, including 19 during the first half. However, Barry scored only one point during the final 9:44 of the game against guard Ernest Smith.

Memphis State, which opened an early nine-point first-half lead, fell behind by 42-36 at halftime as the Tigers took rushed shots against Georgia Tech’s zone defense.

“What happened to us in the first half was self-inflicted,” Finch said. “It wasn’t what Georgia Tech was doing, it was what we weren’t doing. We were a very wild team. We were coming down the court and throwing up shots from everywhere.”