The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com
SPORTS
2B
Saturday, November 17, 2018
NASCAR
Busch leads contenders in
championship qualifying
Associated Press
Kyle Busch thought he
got the jump on the compe
tition with a pole-winning
run at Homestead-Miami
Speedway. Then he was
bumped by
teammate
Denny
Hamlin
and the
politics
began.
Hamlin
gets the
first pick
of pit stalls
for winning the pole, but
Busch wants that spot. Busch
is one of four drivers racing
Sunday for the champion
ship and Hamlin is not one
of them.
“It’s a discussion,” Ham
lin said about the strategy
the Joe Gibbs Racing camp
will use. “I
mean, my
pit crew is
a second
slower
than
Kyle’s.
Everything
is earned,
nothing
is given.
We’ll have the discussion.”
Reigning series champion
Martin Truex Jr. was in a
similar position last year
and asked Hamlin, a fellow
Toyota driver, to give him
the first pit stall but Hamlin
declined. Busch didn’t think
his luck would be any better.
“That’s probably too far,
but it would sure be nice,”
Busch said.
Hamlin turned a lap at
173.863 mph in the closing
seconds of Friday qualify
ing to bump Busch from
the top starting spot. Busch
thought his lap at 173.622
was enough for the pole, but
it only put him ahead of the
other three title contenders.
Truex qualified third to
put three Toyotas at the
front of the field. It’s his
final race with Furniture
Row Racing because a loss
of sponsorship is forcing the
team to close following the
finale.
Joey Logano qualified
fifth for Team Penske.
Kevin Harvick was 12th,
lowest of the title contend
ers, but not overly con
cerned about where he’s
starting.
“I mean, we qualified
12th, not last,” Harvick said.
“I think it’s not that big a
deal if we can get our car
driving right for Sunday. ”
Logano also cautioned
against making predictions
off of the qualifying results.
“I don’t think a whole
bunch transfers over. I think
NASCAR lineup
Friday’s qualifying; race Sunday
At Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead, Fla.
(Car number in parentheses)
1. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 173.863 mph.
2. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 173.622.
3. (78) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 173.539.
4. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 173.433.
5. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 173.366.
6. (41) Kurt Busch, Ford, 172.535.
7. (20) Erik Jones, Toyota, 172.507.
8. (31) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 172.430.
9. (17) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 172.403.
10. (10) Aric Almirola, Ford, 172.353.
11. (42) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 172.029.
12. (4) Kevin Harvick, Ford, 171.942.
13. (88) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 172.529.
14. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 172.518.
15. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 172.276.
16. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 172.243.
17. (6) Matt Kenseth, Ford, 172.199.
18. (19) Daniel Suarez, Toyota, 172.002.
19. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 171.953.
20. (47) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 171.559.
21. (1) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 171.527.
22. (21) Paul Menard, Ford, 171.369.
23. (43) Bubba Wallace, Chevrolet, 171.027.
24. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford, 170.708.
25. (38) David Ragan, Ford, 172.013.
26. (14) Clint Bowyer, Ford, 171.827.
27. (37) Chris Buescher, Chevrolet, 171.233.
28. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet, 170.800.
29. (32) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, 170.498.
30. (95) Regan Smith, Chevrolet, 169.715.
31. (13) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 169.651.
32. (00) Landon Cassill, Chevrolet, 168.951.
33. (23) JJ Yeley, Ford, 167.198.
34. (72) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 167.002.
35. (99) Kyle Weatherman, Chevrolet, 166.898.
36. (51) BJ McLeod, Ford, 164.424.
37. (97) Tanner Berryhill, Toyota, 162.955.
38. (66) Timmy Hill, Toyota, 161.609.
39. (15) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 0.000.
Associated Press
everyone was just tuned in
for one (qualifying) lap,”
Logano said.
Hamlin, meanwhile, won
the pole for the second con
secutive year and in a mean
ingful race for his team.
Busch
GOLF
Howell leads
at Sea Island
Charles Howell III is play
ing some of his best golf
when he least expected it.
Coming from a missed cut
in Mexico to a tournament
where he missed the cut last
year, Howell kept bogeys
off his card for the second
straight day and was just as
good Friday on the tougher
scoring course at
Sea Island. He had
a 6-under 64 on the
Seaside course and
matched the best
36-hole score of his
career to build a
three-shot lead in
the RSM Classic.
“You just never
know what’s around
the corner in this game,”
Howell said. “I thought I
played pretty good in Mex
ico and just missed the cut
Howell
there. Came here, I
like it here, I didn’t
really know what
to expect and then
this happens. So it’s
a crazy game and
we’re reminded of
it daily.”
Howell was at
14-under 128, his
best two-day total on
the PGA Tour since the Las
Vegas Invitational in 2003,
when it was a 90-hole event.
Associated Press
Football/NFL
AMERICAN CONFERENCE
East
W
L
T
Pet
PF
PA
New England
7
3
0
.700
280
236
Miami
5
5
0
.500
199
256
Buffalo
3
7
0
.300
137
251
N.Y. Jets
3
7
0
.300
208
254
South
W
L
T
Pet
PF
PA
Houston
6
3
0
.667
216
184
Tennessee
5
4
0
.556
168
151
Indianapolis
4
5
0
.444
260
239
Jacksonville
3
6
0
.333
160
199
North
W
L
T
Pet
PF
PA
Pittsburgh
6
2
1
.722
279
209
Cincinnati
5
4
0
.556
235
288
Baltimore
4
5
0
.444
213
160
Cleveland
3
6
1
.350
218
263
West
W
L
T
Pet
PF
PA
Kansas City
9
1
0
.900
353
240
L.A. Chargers
7
2
0
.778
240
186
Denver
3
6
0
.333
205
213
Oakland
1
8
0
.111
147
272
NATIONAL CONFERENCE
East
W
L
T
Pet
PF
PA
Washington
6
3
0
.667
176
175
Dallas
4
5
0
.444
181
171
Philadelphia
4
5
0
.444
198
183
N.Y. Giants
2
7
0
.222
177
228
South
W
L
T
Pet
PF
PA
New Orleans
8
1
0
.889
330
232
Carolina
6
3
0
.667
241
232
Atlanta
4
5
0
.444
244
254
Tampa Bay
3
6
0
.333
232
291
North
W
L
T
Pet
PF
PA
Chicago
6
3
0
.667
269
175
Minnesota
5
3
1
.611
221
204
Green Bay
4
5
1
.450
247
243
Detroit
3
6
0
.333
202
244
West
W
L
T
Pet
PF
PA
L.A. Rams
9
1
0
.900
335
231
Seattle
5
5
0
.500
246
216
Arizona
2
7
0
.222
124
225
San Francisco
2
8
0
.200
230
266
Thursday’s Games
Seattle 27, Green Bay 24
Sunday’s Games
Houston at Washington, 1 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Jacksonville, 1 p.m.
Tampa Bay at N.Y. Giants, 1 p.m.
Dallas at Atlanta, 1 p.m.
Cincinnati at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Carolina at Detroit, 1 p.m.
Tennessee at Indianapolis, 1 p.m.
Denver at L.A. Chargers, 4:05 p.m.
Oakland at Arizona, 4:05 p.m.
Philadelphia at New Orleans, 4:25 p.m.
Minnesota at Chicago, 8:20 p.m.
Open: Buffalo, San Francisco, Miami, New
England, Cleveland, N.Y. Jets
Monday’s Games
Kansas City at L.A. Rams, 8:15 p.m.
Football/college
Top 25 schedule
Today’s games
No. 1 Alabama vs. The Citadel, Noon
No. 2 Clemson vs. Duke, 7 p.m.
No. 3 Notre Dame vs. No. 12 Syracuse, Bronx,
N.Y., 2:30 p.m.
No. 4 Michigan vs. Indiana, 4 p.m.
No. 5 Georgia vs. UMass, 4 p.m.
No. 6 Oklahoma vs. Kansas, 7:30 p.m.
No. 7 West Virginia at Oklahoma State, 3:30
p.m.
No. 8 Ohio State at Maryland, Noon
No. 9 Washington State vs. Arizona, 10:30 p.m.
No. 10 LSU vs. Rice, 7:30 p.m.
No. 11 UCF vs. No. 19 Cincinnati, 8 p.m.
No. 13 Texas vs. No. 18 Iowa State, 8 p.m.
No. 14 Utah State at Colorado state, 2 p.m.
No. 15 Florida vs. Idaho, Noon
No. 16 Penn State at Rutgers, Noon
No. 17 Washington vs. Oregon State, 4:30 p.m.
No. 20 Kentucky vs. Middle Tennessee, Noon
No. 21 Utah at Colorado, 1:30 p.m.
No. 22 Boston College at Florida State, 3:30
p.m.
No. 24 Northwestern at Minnesota, Noon
No. 25 Mississippi State vs. Arkansas, Noon
Transactions
BASEBALL
American League
BALTIMORE ORIOLES — Named Mike Elias
executive vice president and general manager.
BOSTON RED SOX — Agreed to terms with 1B
Steve Pearce on a one-year contract.
MINNESOTA TWINS — Named Wes Johnson
pitching coach, Tony Diaz third base coach,
Jeremy Hefner assistant pitching coach and
Tommy Watkins first base coach.
SEATTLE MARINERS — Signed RHP Ruben
Alaniz. Added OF Braden Bishop to the 40-man
roster.
TEXAS RANGERS — Named Julio Rangel
pitching coach.
National League
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES — Promoted assistant
pitching coach Chris Young to pitching coach.
Named Dave Lundquist assistant pitching
coach and Paco Figueroa outfield/baserun
ning coach.
BASKETBALL
National Basketball Association
DENVER NUGGETS — Named Sue Bird basket
ball operations associate.
NBA G League
SOUTH BAY LAKERS — Traded the returning
player rights to G Vander Blue to Wisconsin for
the returning player rights to F Joel Bolomboy.
FOOTBALL
National Football League
CINCINNATI BENGALS — Placed TE Tyler Kroft
on injured reserve. Signed LB Brandon Bell
from the practice squad.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS — Released DE Anthony
Winbush from the practice squad. Signed QB
Phillip Walker to the practice squad.
Golf
Friday’s scores
At Sea Island Golf Club
Sea Island, Ga.
Purse: $6.4 million
s-Seaside Course: 7,005 yards, par-70
p-Plantation Course: 6,907 yards, par-72
Second Round
a-amateur
Charles Howell III
64p-64s—128
-14
Jason Gore
68p-63s—131
-11
Cameron Champ
68p-63s—131
-11
NickWatney
69s-64p—133
-9
Ryan Blaum
69p-65s—134
-8
David Hearn
68s-66p—134
-8
Brian Harman
66s-68p—134
-8
Graeme McDowell
67s-68p—135
-7
Brice Garnett
70s-65p—135
-7
Lucas Glover
69s-67p—136
-6
Brian Gay
69p-67s—136
-6
Webb Simpson
68s-68p—136
-6
Zach Johnson
70s-66p—136
-6
Chase Wright
67p-69s—136
-6
Derek Fathauer
68s-68p—136
-6
Ernie Els
70p-66s—136
-6
Sean O’Hair
71 s-65p—136
-6
Corey Conners
69p-67s—136
-6
Anders Albertson
70s-66p—136
-6
a-Garrett Barber
71p-65s—136
-6
Brendon Todd
68p-69s—137
-5
Johnson Wagner
70s-67p—137
-5
Luke List
69p-68s—137
-5
Scott Langley
70p-67s—137
-5
Troy Merritt
69s-68p—137
-5
Sungjae Im
68p-69s—137
-5
Peter Uihlein
66S-71 p—137
-5
Martin Piller
70s-67p—137
-5
Henrik Norlander
71s-66p—137
-5
J.J. Spaun
66p-71 s—137
-5
Joel Dahmen
70p-67s—137
-5
Friday’s scores
At Jumeirah Golf Estates
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Purse: $8 million
Yardage: 7,675; Par: 72
Second Round
Matt Wallace, England 68-65—133
Jordan Smith, England 66-68—134
Adrian Otaegui, Spain 66-68—134
Danny Willett, England 67-67—134
Patrick Reed, United States 69-66—135
Rory Mcllroy, Northern Ireland 69-67—136
Tommy Fleetwood, England 69-67—136
Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Thailand 70-66—136
Dean Burmester, South Africa 71 -65—136
Henrik Stenson, Sweden 71 -66—137
Jon Rahm, Spain 67-70—137
Alexander Bjork, Sweden 72-65—137
Tom Lewis, England 69-69—138
Thomas Pieters, Belgium 68-70—138
Andrea Pavan, Italy 69-69—138
Rafa Cabrera Bello, Spain 69-69—138
Lee Westwood, England 70-69—139
Andy Sullivan, England 72-67—139
Sergio Garcia, Spain 71 -68—139
Hideto Tanihara, Japan 69-71—140
Marcus Kinhult, Sweden 69-71—140
Alex Noren, Sweden 69-71—140
Thomas Detry, Belgium 70-70—140
TODAY ON TV
FOOTBALL
■ Ohio State at Maryland,
Noon, ABC
■ Arkansas at Mississippi
State, Noon, ESPN
■ Michigan State at
Nebraska, Noon, FOX
■ Harvard at Yale, Noon,
ESPN2
■ Idaho at Florida, Noon,
ESPNU
■ TCU at Baylor, Noon,
FS1
■ Florida A&M vs.
Bethune Cookman, 2 p.m.,
ESPNCLS
■ Syracuse vs. Notre
Dame, 2:30 p.m., NBC
■ Georgia Tech vs. Virginia,
3:30 p.m. Fox Sports South
■ Missouri at Tennessee,
3:30 p.m., CBS
■ West Virginia at
Oklahoma State, 3:30 p.m.,
ABC
■ Southern California at
UCLA, 3:30 p.m., FOX
■ Miami at Virginia Tech,
3:30 p.m., ESPN
■ Boston College at
Florida State, 3:30 p.m.,
ESPN2
■ Texas Tech at Kansas
State, 3:30 p.m.,
ESPNU
■ Georgia vs.
Massachusetts, 4 p.m.,
SEC Network
■ Indiana at Michigan,
4 p.m., FS1
■ Duke at Clemson,
7 p.m., ESPN
■ UAB at Texas A&M,
7 p.m., ESPN2
■ Kansas at Oklahoma,
7:30 p.m., FOX
■ Rice at LSU, 7:30 p.m.,
ESPNU
■ Cincinnati at UCF,
8 p.m., ABC
■ Arizona at Washington
State, 10:30 p.m., ESPN
■ New Mexico at BYU,
10:15 p.m., ESPN2
RACING GOLF
■ Xfinity Series qualifying, 12:30 p.m., NBC Sports ■ rsm Classic; third round,
■ Xfinity Series: Ford EcoBoost 300, 3:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m. Golf channel
NBC Sports
State scores
Class A private schools
Second round
Calvary Day 52, Holy Innocents’ 12
Darlington 28, Aquinas 12
Eagle’s Landing 48, Trinity Christian-Sharps-
burg 14
Fellowship Christian School 35, Riverside
Military Academy 28
North Cobb Christian 20, Brookstone 17
Prince Avenue Christian 42, Wesleyan 27
Savannah Christian Prep 14, Hebron Christian
Academy 7
Class A public schools
Second round
Clinch County 38, Charlton County 14
Commerce 35, Mitchell County 33
Greene County 37, Chattahoochee County 22
Irwin County 41, Miller County 0
Marion County 48, Montgomery County 21
Mt. Zion-Carrollton 21, Dooly County 0
Pelham 40, Emanuel County Institute 36
Schley County 40,Trion 13
Class 2A
Second round
Callaway 31, Hapeville 13
Dublin 23, Thomasville 7
Fitzgerald 27, Swainsboro 12
Heard County 27, Douglass 6
Jefferson County 27, Dodge County 13
Rabun County 34, Chattooga 0
Rockmart 35, Bremen 23
Washington County 34, Brooks County 30, OT
Class 3A
Second round
Benedictine Military 43, Westside-Macon 36
Calhoun 21, Lovett 6
Cedar Grove 49, North Hall 33
Monroe Area 49, Dawson County 17
Peach County 47, Liberty County 8
Pierce County 45, Jackson 0
Westminster 44, Greater Atlanta Christian 34
Class 4A
Second round
Baldwin 21, Columbus 0
Cairo 38, Thomson 14
Cartersville 41, Ridgeland 7
Marist 24, St. Pius X 8
Mary Persons 65, Woodward Academy 21
Troup County 53, Pickens 14
Class 5A
Second round
Bainbridge 26, Wayne County 19
Buford 44, Kell 11
Carrollton 29, Loganville 6
Clarke Central 24, East Paulding 7
Dutchtown 28, Griffin 7
Rome 35, Cedar Shoals 3
Stockbridge 25, New Hampstead 6
Warner Robins 35, Ware County 0
Class 6A
Second round
Coffee 20, Richmond Hill 7
Creekview 65, Habersham Central 48
Dacula 28, Allatoona 21
Lanier 35, Harrison 23
Lee County 54, Effingham County 0
Northside-Warner Robins 35, Bradwell
Institute 0
Valdosta 35, Glynn Academy 24
Class 7A
Second round
Archer 36, Parkview 29
Colquitt County 49, McEachern 29
Grayson 37, Norcross 17
Hillgrove 23, Walton 20
Lowndes 24, Westlake 0
Milton 24, Mill Creek 3
North Gwinnett 41, West Forsyth 7
Tift County 24, East Coweta 17
Associated Press
NORTH
AUSTIN STEELE I The Times
North Hall quarterback David Seavey prepares to throw
against Cedar Grove during the second round of the Class
3A state playoffs Friday in Panthersville.
■ Continued from 1B
The defense forced a few
stops, and midway through
the third quarter, the offense
started to catch up.
Daniel Jackson — who
finished the game with 110
yards rushing and a touch
down on eight totes — took
a pitch 70 yards down the
right sideline for the Trojans
first touchdown of the game.
North Hall scored again to
open the fourth quarter on
a 3-yard plunge from Drew
Faulkner that made the
score 42-17.
“I was not going to take
our older kids out,” Bishop
said. “That was their oppor
tunity to finish their season
together, to fight. The big
thing was they were going
to fight together and fight to
that last tick on the clock.”
Faulkner scored again
later in the quarter, and JT
Fair picked up a touchdown
as well, but the scores were
too little, too late, as time
eventually ran out on the
Trojans.
With the loss, North Hall’s
season — one of the best in
recent program history —
comes to a close.
“You can’t take away
anything from the way they
performed all year,” Bishop
said. “They set so many
school records, just changed
the standard. There’s so
many things to be proud of.
Last year, the team was 4-7,
and a year later they’re 9-3.
Just a great group of kids to
be associated with.”
GEORGIA
■ Continued from 1B
today’s game: “We’ll give it
our best shot.”
Georgia (9-1, No. 5 CFP)
already has won the South
eastern Conference’s East
ern Division and a spot in the
Dec. 1 SEC championship
game in Atlanta against No.
1 Alabama. The Bulldogs’
focus against UMass and in
next week’s final regular-
season game against Geor
gia Tech is to avoid a misstep
that would devastate their
chances for a return trip to
the College Football Playoff.
“There’s no question
we hope they’re overlook
ing us and trying to get
ready for Georgia Tech,”
Whipple said.
The Bulldogs opened as
45-point favorites against
UMass. The line dropped to
a still-daunting 41 points, a
number which reflects the
Minutemen’s task of con
taining such playmakers as
quarterback Jake Fromm,
tailbacks D’Andre Swift and
Elijah Holyfield, and wide
receivers Riley Ridley and
Mecole Hardman.
“They don’t have any
weaknesses,” Whipple said.
“They were one play away
from winning the national
championship game last
year and they might have a
better team. I think they’re
deeper.”
Georgia coach Kirby
Smart is confident his team
will avoid looking past
UMass, which is 0-8 against
SEC teams but lost to Missis
sippi State and Tennessee by
only a combined 15 points
last season.
The talent equalizer for
UMass is wide receiver
Andy Isabella , who ranks
second in the nation with 87
catches for 1,479 yards. Isa
bella stays busy while lining
up in different spots.
Smart said Isabella is
“one of the best receivers in
all of college football. Our
kids respect him.”
Here are some other
things to know about the
UMass-Georgia game:
DON’T BLINK: The Min-
utemen can score quickly.
They’ve scored on 12 scor
ing drives lasting no longer
than 60 seconds. They’re
tied for eighth in the nation
on such drives.
ACCURACY MATTERS:
Fromm is challenging Hut
son Mason’s completion per
centage record of 67.9 set in
2014. Fromm has completed
67.5 percent of his passes to
rank second in the SEC.
Whipple said he has
seen Fromm falter only
in Georgia’s loss to LSU,
when he completed only
16 of 34 passes with two
interceptions.
“Other than that he’s been
really good,” Whipple said,
adding Fromm is “a calm
and collected guy.”
POWER FIVE TEST:
UMass lost at Boston College
55-21 on Sept. 1 in its only
game this season against a
Power Five team. It is com
ing off a 35-16 home loss to
Brigham Young.
TECH
■ Continued from 1B
“It’s not scary,” Mack
insisted. “It’s another oppor
tunity to get better. A lot of
guys are eager and willing
and want to improve and
show that we can defend the
triple-option.”
Virginia must win this
game to have any shot at
winning the Coastal Divi
sion, and even then they’ll
need some help. Pittsburgh,
which plays at Wake For
est on Saturday and should
be finishing up about the
time the Cavaliers kick off,
merely needs to win one of
its last two games to clinch
a spot in the ACC champi
onship game against No. 2
Clemson.
Georgia Tech’s titles
hopes faded in the first
month of the season. But
after a 1-3 start, the Yel
low Jackets (6-4, 4-3) have
ripped off a three-game
winning streak and locked
up a bowl berth.
“You can’t quit after three
games,” coach Paul Johnson
said. “This league is so bal
anced. .. Other than Clem
son, everybody is pretty
similar.”
Some other things to
watch for when the Yellow
Jackets host the Cavaliers
on Saturday:
BOWL POSITIONING:
While Virginia still has
hopes of playing for an ACC
title, this is also a chance
to gain a better position
in the league’s postseason
hierarchy.
The winner almost surely
will land a more prestigious
bowl assignment, no matter
what happens in the final
week of the regular season.
“We got to a bowl game,
but now we have to make
it better,” Georgia Tech
receiver Brad Stewart said.
HE’S BACK: Georgia
Tech senior quarterback
TaQuon Marshall, who
seemed on the verge of
losing his starting job to
redshirt freshman Tobias
Oliver, re-established him
self as the clear No. 1 in last
week’s victory over Miami.
Marshall played nearly
the entire game, rushing
for 91 yards and two touch
downs to go along with a
scoring pass in the 27-21
triumph . Oliver had gotten
the bulk of the playing time
the previous two games with
Marshall nursing an upper-
body injury, running for 215
yards in an upset at Virginia
Tech and 120 yards in a win
over North Carolina. The
youngster actually leads the
Yellow Jackets in rushing
with 781 yards and 12 TDs.
YOUNG LINE: Georgia
Tech will be looking to capi
talize on Virginia’s youthful
defensive line.
Two true freshmen
(Aaron Faumui and Jordan
Redmond) have started
for Cavaliers, and redshirt
freshman Tommy Christ got
his first start in last week’s
victory over Liberty.
MEN’S COLLEGE
BASKETBALL
Georgia tops Sam
Houston State
With Georgia trailing by
five points, its 3-point shot
not falling and less than
eight minutes remaining,
Nicolas Claxton and the
Bulldogs found a differ
ent gear. Claxton scored 13
points, including two straight
layups in an 11-0 run which
brought Georgia back from
a second-half deficit, and the
Bulldogs beat Sam Houston
State 75-64 on Friday night.
Rayshaun Hammonds led
Georgia (2-1) with 15 points.
Sam Houston State led
55-50 before Claxton scored
the first five points of the
decisive streak of 11 unan
swered points to take the
lead. Claxton was fouled by
RJ Smith on his first layup.
After missing the free
throw, Georgia grabbed the
rebound and fed the ball
back to the 6-f oot-11 Claxton,
who again drove to the bas
ket for a layup and a 55-all
tie.
GEORGIA TECH 79,
EAST CAROLINA 54: Curtis
Haywood II scored a career-
high 18 points to help Geor
gia Tech overcome a slow
start, but his memory may
have been more important
than any of his baskets as
the Jackets eased past East
Carolina on Friday night.
Tech (3-1) missed eight
of its first 10 shots and fell
behind the Pirates (2-2),
11-6, and Haywood thought
back almost a year to when
he and former teammate
Ben Lammers both went for
a defensive rebound late in
a game and tipped it in. For
the other team.
Grambling State upset the
Jackets in that game, 64-63.
Associated Press
