Jackets hold on to beat Terps

GREENSBORO, N.C. --- With the game on the line and in need of a 3-pointer, Maryland put the ball in the hands of the Atlantic Coast Conference's Player of the Year.

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Somehow -- and against the instructions from his coach -- Iman Shumpert took it away from him.

Shumpert scored 14 points and made the key defensive play on Greivis Vasquez that lifted Georgia Tech past the 19th-ranked Terrapins 69-64 on Friday night in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament.

"We actually wanted to foul there," coach Paul Hewitt said. "He just stepped up and made a big-time defensive play."

Maurice Miller added a season-high 13 points for the seventh-seeded Yellow Jackets (21-11). They blew most of a 19-point lead and had 25 turnovers, but for the second night in a row, they did just enough to advance -- this time, to the semifinals for the first time since 2005.

Vasquez had 17 points on 6 of 21 shooting for the second-seeded Terrapins (23-8), who had the ball and were within one possession of the lead six times in the final 4:30 and didn't score on any of those possessions.

"We had a bunch of chances," guard Eric Hayes said. "It's a little frustrating when you use that much energy to get back into the game and get to two points and you just can't really get over the top."

The last chance came when Maryland trailed 67-64 and Vasquez pulled up for a long 3-pointer with about 6 seconds left when Shumpert stripped the ball from him.

"I figured he was going to try to get a foul on me," Shumpert said. "I just kept replaying in my head that last time he made a big shot against us. I figured if he showed the ball I would deflect it. What I tried to do is deflect it up instead of smacking it down."

Vasquez said Shumpert slapped his hand, "but we're not the referees."

Shumpert took off downcourt and was fouled, and he and Derrick Favors each hit one free throw in the final 3.7 seconds to seal the Yellow Jackets' first victory in the series since 2004.

Miami's Durand Scott (middle) tries to pass the ball during the Hurricanes' win over the Hokies.