ATLANTA – Colgate's final tune-up for the upcoming Patriot League season was a 76-60 defeat to ACC-member Georgia Tech here Wednesday night.
 
Austin Tillotson scored 12 and Jordan Swopshire added 11 to lead a balanced Raider scoring column.
 
Georgia Tech was led by the 1-2 punch of Adam Smith and Charles Mitchell, who combined for 38 points on 16-of-21 shooting. Smith poured in 20 points and Mitchell added 18 to go with seven boards.
 
Colgate held its own for most of the contest despite a terrific shooting night by the Yellow Jackets. Tech as a team crept into the 60-percent range midway in the second half before settling at 55.9 for the game.
 
The Raiders posted their second-best shooting performance of the season at 48.9 percent – trailing only the 50-percent night in their opening road win at George Mason.
 
Colgate takes the holiday break before resuming preparations for next Wednesday's Patriot League opener against Lafayette in Cotterell Court. Tip time is 7 p.m.
 
Bottom Line
• Georgia Tech 76, Colgate 60
 
Won-Lost Records
• Colgate completed its non-league schedule at 4-7.
• Georgia Tech improved to 9-3.
 
How It Happened
• Georgia Tech used a 9-0 run to open an 11-2 lead.
• Colgate answered with a 12-2 stretch of its own to take a 14-13 lead on Francisco Amiel's 3-pointer with 11:56 showing in the half.
• Seven different Raiders were in the scoring ledger for Colgate's first 18 points, and the Raiders trailed 19-18 on Alex Ramon's layin with 8:45 remaining.
• Tech then used a 13-2 run to make it 32-20 by the 3:46 mark.
• The Raiders closed to within 35-28 before Tech scored the last five points of the half for a 40-28 advantage at intermission.
• Sean O'Brien sparked Colgate's early second-half scoring with seven straight Colgate points, and the Raiders were within 51-37 with 14:46 left.
• The Jackets went on a 10-2 run over the next three minutes to open their largest lead of the game at 61-39 with 11:45 showing. Georgia Tech at the time was shooting 60 percent for the game.
• Smith and Mitchell went to the bench for good with 4:22 remaining and the Raiders were able to pull within the final margin of 76-60.
 
Facts & Figures
• Tillotson's double-figure scoring game was his seventh of the season, and tonight marked his fifth team-high point total.
• Swopshire added his fifth double-digit scoring game and was 6-of-6 at the line. He leads the Raiders in free-throw shooting at 86.2 percent (25-of-29).
• Dana Batt scored a season-high six points, all in the first half.
• Malcolm Regisford and Tom Rivard tied for team rebounding honors with four.
• Georgia Tech's Mitchell was held without a double-double for only the second time this season. He finished with 18 points and seven rebounds.
• Smith of the Yellow Jackets was 3-of-5 from downtown to help boost his season-high 20-point night.
 
More Key Info
• Colgate's scoring went like this: Tillotson 12, Swopshire 11, Rivard 9, Regisford 7, O'Brien 7, Batt 6, Amiel 6 and Ramon 2.
• The Raiders committed just nine turnovers, second-lowest total for the season to the seven against New Hampshire.
• Amiel scored a season-high six points on 2-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc.
• Tillotson in 10 of Colgate's 11 games has played 30 or more minutes. That leads the team.
 
From the Source
• Colgate head coach Matt Langel (On the game): "When a program like ours gets a chance to come south against a team with the tradition like Georgia Tech basketball and play in a venue like we did tonight against a team the size of theirs, it's a big deal for us. We never take that for granted and we are super-appreciative of the opportunity."
 
(On Georgia Tech) "They certainly have a really big team. We've played a lot of high-caliber teams, but they are as big and strong and physically mature as just about anyone. When you throw Smith into the equation, they've got a team that's going to be really competitive and be in a lot of games.
 
"It was the difference tonight. They were just too big and too strong."
 
Listen to the rest of Langel's press conference comments HERE.
 
Gate Grab Bag
• Attendance at McCamish Pavilion was 4,638.
 
Up Next
• Colgate opens Patriot League play next Wednesday against defending Patriot League-champion Lafayette.
• The Leopards are 3-7 this year coming off their 90-86 overtime win at Sacred Heart on Dec. 12.
• Colgate and Lafayette split the series last year, with each team winning the away contest.
• Tipoff from Cotterell Court is 7 p.m. The Patriot League Network carries the livestream.