ATLANTA (Interstat) — In a game defined by runs and resilience, Florida State used a decisive second-half surge to pull away from Georgia Tech and secure an 80-71 victory in Atlantic Coast Conference men’s basketball action Saturday afternoon at Hank McCamish Pavilion.

A crowd of 6,773 saw the Seminoles improve to 15-14 overall, while the Yellow Jackets fell to 11-18.

The most critical sequence of the contest unfolded early in the second half, transforming a narrow Florida State lead into a comfortable margin. Leading 43-40 with just over 17 minutes remaining, the Seminoles unleashed a 12-3 run over the next three minutes that effectively seized control. The burst was fueled by the backcourt tandem of Robert McCray V and Thomas Bassong. McCray, who finished with a game-high 20 points, ignited the run with a driving layup. Bassong, who added 14 points, then buried a 3-pointer from the wing. McCray capped the flurry with another layup off a steal, pushing the Florida State advantage to 55-43 and forcing a Georgia Tech timeout.

The Yellow Jackets, who relied heavily on the 3-point shot all afternoon, could not muster a sustained response. They finished 13 of 38 from beyond the arc, a volume that could not overcome poor overall shooting of 22 for 62 from the field. Florida State, while not sharp from deep either at 7 for 26, dominated inside, outscoring Georgia Tech 42-22 in the paint and securing 16 offensive rebounds that led to 19 second-chance points.

Georgia Tech was led by Jaeden Mustaf, who posted 16 points and eight assists, and Kowacie Reeves, who scored 17 points. The Yellow Jackets stayed within striking distance for much of the first half, trailing 41-36 at the break, and closed to within six points on multiple occasions in the final minutes. But each time, Florida State answered, often at the free-throw line where they made 19 of 26 attempts.

The Seminoles’ defensive pressure was also a key factor, generating nine steals and contributing to nine Georgia Tech turnovers, which Florida State converted into 15 points. Chauncey Wiggins provided a significant interior presence for the Seminoles with 12 points and two blocked shots, while Martin Somerville orchestrated the offense with nine points and three assists.

The victory marked a bounce-back performance for Florida State, which had lost at home to Miami earlier in the week. It also continued a trend of success on the road in conference play. For Georgia Tech, the loss extended a difficult stretch in ACC competition.

Statistically, Florida State’s efficiency told the story. The Seminoles scored 80 points on just 64 possessions, an offensive rating of 124.3, while Georgia Tech managed 71 points on 67 possessions for a rating of 105.9. That disparity in offensive execution, highlighted by the pivotal run to start the second half, proved to be the difference.

Florida State next travels to face Pittsburgh on Wednesday. Georgia Tech will host California on Wednesday.