Favors helps Georgia Tech hold off NC State 57-54 to reach ACC final against Duke

Georgia Tech beats NC State 57-54 in ACC semifinal

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Derrick Favors had 17 points and eight rebounds, and Georgia Tech held off North Carolina State 57-54 on Saturday to reach the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament championship game.

Gani Lawal added 12 points and 10 rebounds for the seventh-seeded Yellow Jackets (22-11), who advanced after a frantic finish to face top-seed and No. 4 Duke on Sunday.

The 11th-seeded Wolfpack’s hopes of being the lowest-seeded team to reach the final were dashed thanks to poor late-game execution. Javier Gonzalez had a chance to atone for a key turnover and intentional foul in the final 2 minutes, but he missed a game-tying 3-pointer in the final seconds.

Tracy Smith had 15 points for N.C. State (19-15), which shot 31 percent but used its pressure defense to rally from a 10-point halftime deficit.

The Yellow Jackets reached the final for the first time since losing to Duke in 2005.