Devoe scores 37, Usher 21; Georgia Tech beats Georgia 88-78

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ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Michael Devoe exploded for 37 points, Jordan Usher scored 21, both career highs, and Georgia Tech beat Georgia 88-78 Friday night to snap a five-game skid against its in-state rival.

Devoe made 14 of 18 from the field, including 4 of 5 from 3-point range and finished with seven rebounds, five assists and two steals. Usher was 9-of-14 shooting and blocked two shots.

Jaylin Ingram made a layup to cap an 11-4 run that gave Georgia (2-2) a 73-71 lead with 4:34 left, but Devoe made back-to-back layups to give Georgia Tech the lead for good and spark a 14-3 spurt that for an 11-point lead with 34 seconds remaining. Devoe scored eight points and Usher six during that stretch.

Aaron Cook made 4 of 6 from 3-point range and finished with 18 points and six assists for the Bulldogs. Ingram scored 17 points and Jabri Abdur-Rahim added 10.

Georgia Tech (3-1) made 34 of 56 (61%) from the field and outrebounded the Bulldogs 35-26.

Georgia shot 51% (29 of 57) from the field and made 8 of 17 (47%) from 3-point range but was missed half their 24 foul shots.

Deivon Smith and Devoe made back-to-back 3s to give the Yellow Jackets a 57-47 lead — the biggest by either team — with 13:30 remaining. Ingram answered with consecutive layups, Cook another and Abdur-Rahim made a 3 in a 9-2 run that brought Bulldogs within three in under two minutes.