ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, March 4, 1996 TAG: 9603040128
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: ATLANTA
SOURCE: Associated Press
STREAKING GEORGIA TECH enters the league tournament as the team to beat.o
Georgia Tech may be playing its best basketball of the season, and it couldn't have come at a better time - tournament time.
Matt Harpring scored 24 points and Stephon Marbury added 18 Sunday as the Yellow Jackets won their first outright regular-season Atlantic Coast Conference title with an 87-74 victory over Clemson.
It was the seventh straight win for 18th-ranked Georgia Tech and its 14th in 17 games since a 6-7 start.
``We have a lot of momentum right now, but we can't be too cocky,'' said Drew Barry, who added 15 points and nine assists for the Yellow Jackets.
The Yellow Jackets (20-10 overall, 13-3 ACC), received the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament which begins Thursday in Greensboro, N.C. Georgia Tech, which joined the ACC in 1979, shared the league title in 1985 with North Carolina and North Carolina State.
Georgia Tech will face the winner of Thursday's play-in game between Florida State and North Carolina State on Friday.
``We're playing real well right now, but there are some good teams in the ACC,'' said Harpring, who added 10 rebounds to help out Michael Maddox, who led Tech with 12 rebounds and added 12 points.
``Early in the season we had a bitter taste in our mouth when we were 6-7,'' Marbury said. ``I think we're peaking at the right time. This is when you want to peak.''
Clemson (17-9, 7-9), which beat the Yellow Jackets 73-70 earlier in the season, was led by Greg Buckner with 19 points.
Tech led by three points at halftime before Harpring hit a 3-pointer and Maddox scored two baskets, giving the Yellow Jackets a 41-31 lead.
A 3-pointer by Marbury put Tech ahead 64-46 with 7:33 left, but Clemson didn't get down. The Tigers rallied with a 14-5 run to cut the deficit to 69-60 with 3:52 remaining.
``We got down by 18, but our players responded and didn't panic and think we had to get it back at once,'' said Clemson coach Rick Barnes. ``I thought we played good defense, but then Stephon or someone would hit a great shot.''
It was Marbury who ended the Tigers' run, answering with a 3-pointer and the Tigers were unable to get any closer.
``I'm proud of my basketball team and we're looking forward to going to Greensboro,'' said Barnes.
Terrell McIntyre added 16 points for the Tigers and Harold Jamison added 14.
CLEMSON(17-9)-
Jurkunas 3-6 0-0 7, Christie 4-6 3-3 12, Wideman 2-6 0-0 4, Mcintyre 6-15 3-3 16, Buckner 8-15 3-6 19, Jamison 4-10 6-10 14, Harder 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 28-60 15-22 74.|
GEORGIATECH(20-10)-
Harpring 8-11 5-7 24, Maddox 4-8 3-4 12, Elisma 2-3 2-2 6, Barry 5-12 4-5 15, Kelly 1-2 0-0 2, Marbury 5-13 4-4 18, Saunders 2-4 0-0 5, Gaston 1-1 2-4 5, Hodge 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-54 20-26 87.|
Halftime-Georgia Tech 34, Clemson 31. Three-point goals-Clemson 3-13 (Jurkunas 1-3, Christie 1-3, McIntyre 1-6, Buckner 0-1), Georgia Tech 11-28 (Marbury 4-8, Harpring 3-6, Gaston 1-1, Saunders 1-2, Maddox 1-2, Barry 1-8, Kelly 0-1). Fouled out-Harder, Elisma, Maddox. Rebounds-Clemson 31 (Buckner 6), Georgia Tech 33 (Maddox 12). Assists-Clemson 15 (Harder 4), Georgia Tech 21 (Barry 9). Total fouls-Clemson 20, Georgia Tech 21. Technicals-Marbury. A-9,750.
LENGTH: Medium: 70 linesby CNB