ATLANTA (Interstat) — Donnie Freeman scored 27 points and Syracuse built a commanding early lead before holding off a furious second-half rally from Georgia Tech to secure an 82-72 victory in Atlantic Coast Conference men’s basketball action Tuesday night at Hank McCamish Pavilion.

The Orange, who led by as many as 18 points in the first half, saw their advantage whittled down to just four in the final minutes but made critical defensive stops and clutch free throws to snap a two-game conference skid and improve to 9-5 overall, 1-2 in the ACC. Georgia Tech fell to 10-6 and 1-2.

Syracuse dominated the opening period, shooting efficiently and capitalizing on a series of Yellow Jacket turnovers to establish a 44-30 halftime cushion. The Orange opened the game with a 9-2 run, highlighted by an early dunk from William Kyle and a 3-pointer from Naithan George. Freeman, the sophomore forward from Washington, D.C., was instrumental throughout, scoring from all three levels and adding three blocked shots.

Georgia Tech emerged from the locker room with renewed energy, spearheaded by the interior play of Baye Ndongo. The sophomore from Senegal scored 14 of his team-high 20 points after halftime, as the Yellow Jackets methodically chipped away at the deficit. A 3-pointer from Kam Craft with 14:07 remaining capped a 14-6 Tech run to start the half, pulling the home team within 50-44.

The Orange responded with a 7-0 spurt, keyed by a Freeman hook shot and a Tyler Betsey 3-pointer, to push the lead back to 13. But Georgia Tech refused to fold. Ndongo continued to score inside, and a driving layup by Lamar Washington with 5:09 left cut the Syracuse lead to 67-63, sending anxiety through the announced crowd of 6,216.

The most important sequence of the game followed. Over the next two minutes, Syracuse’s defense stiffened. A block by Kyle on a Ndongo layup attempt with 28 seconds left was pivotal, preserving a six-point lead. On the ensuing possession, George was fouled and sank two free throws to make it a three-possession game with 20 seconds remaining, effectively sealing the outcome.

George, a guard from Toronto, complemented Freeman with 17 points and five assists for Syracuse. Kiyan Anthony provided a spark off the bench with 11 points. For Georgia Tech, Washington finished with nine points and a game-high seven assists, while Kowacie Reeves added 11 points. Jaeden Mustaf scored 10 for the Yellow Jackets.

Syracuse, which entered the game as a 3-point favorite according to sportsbooks, outperformed its pregame projection. The total score of 154 points surpassed the over/under line of 145. The Orange will look to build momentum when they travel to face Pittsburgh on Saturday. Georgia Tech, which saw a two-game win streak end, hits the road to play Miami on the same day.