Syracuse 46, Georgia Tech 45: Rakeem Christmas scored 18 points, including the go-ahead free throws with 12.6 seconds remaining, as the visiting Orange outlasted the Yellow Jackets in a defensive struggle.

Christmas finished 7-of-17 from the field and added nine rebounds for Syracuse (11-4, 2-0 ACC) and Michael Gbinije added 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting and 10 rebounds. The Orange shot 34.6 percent with Christmas and Gbinije’s teammates combining to shoot 5-of-24.

Charles Mitchell scored 17 points with 11 rebounds to lead the Yellow Jackets (9-5, 0-2). Georgia Tech, which dropped its ACC opener in overtime to Notre Dame on Saturday, shot 26.3 percent and had two chances to win on its final possession but Chris Bolden missed a 3-pointer in the final seconds and Quinton Stephens could not get a shot to the rim on the rebound.

Neither team led by more than four points in a tight first half, with Christmas scoring 12 points – including a buzzer-beating jumper – to put the Orange ahead 28-27 at intermission. The two teams combined for four field goals and 12 turnovers in the opening nine minutes of the second half before Marcus Georges-Hunt and Travis Jorgenson hit 3-pointers to put the Yellow Jackets ahead 41-37 with just under nine minutes left.

The Orange responded with a 7-0 spurt as Christmas followed Trevor Cooney’s 3-pointer with a bucket from in close and a dunk to push Syracuse ahead 44-41 with under 4 ½ minutes left. The Yellow Jackets cut the deficit to one on a pair of Mitchell free throws with just over four minutes to go and Georges-Hunt converted two free throws after an offensive rebound with 1:23 remaining to put Georgia Tech ahead 45-44.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Christmas and Gbinije combined for 22 of Syracuse’s 28 first-half points. … Georgia Tech missed on 10 of its first 11 3-point attempts, finishing 3-of-16. … The Yellow Jackets missed their final 11 shots from the field and finished 5-of-29 from the field in the second half.