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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) -- Virginia coach Pete Gillen had
plenty of reasons for the latest loss in his Cavaliers (No. 15 ESPN/USA Today, No. 22 AP) accelerating free fall.
"Our defense let us down. Our free throws let us down. And our
execution at the end ... let us down," Gillen said after Marvin
Lewis' 3-pointer with one second left gave Georgia Tech a stunning
82-80 victory Saturday.
The Yellow Jackets (13-15, 5-9 Atlantic Coast Conference) sent
the Cavaliers to their seventh loss in nine games, and dealt a
damaging blow to once highly regarded Virginia's NCAA tournament
aspirations.
The Cavaliers (16-9, 6-8) missed four consecutive free throws in
the last minute when one would likely have been enough, and then
let Lewis get free at the top of the key for the Yellow Jackets'
15th 3-pointer of the game.
"It was one of those shots where you don't think about where
you are or who's in front of you," said Lewis, who was 5-of-6 from
beyond the arc. "You know you've just got to get the shot off, and
shoot it with confidence."
Watching the ball swish through the net set off a wild
celebration for the Yellow Jackets, who have won three straight,
six of eight and appear to be hitting their stride in a bid to
reach postseason play.
For Virginia, it was the latest in a growing string of losses,
many of them embarrassing. They lost by 22 points at No. 20 Wake
Forest last Sunday, and 66-59 at Florida State on Wednesday, ending
the Seminoles' six-game losing streak. The Cavaliers finish with
No. 3 Duke and No. 2 Maryland.
"Right now we are having trouble beating good teams," Gillen
said.
And Georgia Tech is an improving team.
Trailing 80-74, B.J. Elder hit a 3-pointer with 45 seconds left
for the Yellow Jackets. After Roger Mason Jr. and Travis Watson
missed the front ends of 1-and-1s for Virginia, Tony Akins made two
free throws -- he was 9-for-9 from the line -- with 19 seconds left
to bring Georgia Tech within 80-79.
Chris Williams inbounded the ball to Watson, who was fouled
again, and the 72 percent free throw shooter missed them both with
18 seconds to play.
"(Travis) is a great player, but we don't want him to handle
the ball in the backcourt at the end of a game," Gillen said.
"They didn't do what we said. They did it their way."
Akins dribbled the ball to kill most of the time, then got it to
Lewis off a screen at the top of the key, and he nailed it from 23
feet.
"Tony maintained his composure," Yellow Jackets coach Paul
Hewitt said. "He waited for somebody to get open and got it to the
right one."
Akins led Georgia Tech with 23 points, while Elder had 18 and
Lewis 15. The Yellow Jackets shot 55 percent and tied the record
for 3-pointers against Virginia, going 15-of-25. Clemson made 15 3s
against Virginia in 1983.
Mason had 19 points for Virginia and Watson added 17 points and
11 rebounds, but neither hit the free throws that could have
clinched the victory. | 
Virginia vs. Georgia Tech