ATLANTA (AP) -- Georgia Tech doesn't have much size in the paint, so Virginia's plan was to get the ball inside. Virginia guard Roger Mason Jr. runs by Georgia Tech's B.J. Elder as the Cavaliers posted a 69-65 victory. Mission accomplished. Travis Watson hit the go-ahead basket with 1:12 to go, and Elton Brown scored a career-high 20 points as the seventh-ranked Cavaliers rallied for their fourth consecutive victory with a 69-65 victory Tuesday night. Virginia outrebounded the Yellow Jackets 43-31, and nearly doubled them with inside points (42-24). Brown and Watson both had 10 rebounds, and Chris Williams had nine. Brown, a reserve freshman, said coach Pete Gillen wanted his Cavaliers to stick to the game plan. "That's what we came in here to do," Brown said. "(He) just kept telling us to pound it inside and try to get second and third shots." Tony Akins missed a tying layup in the final seconds for the Yellow Jackets, who lost their fifth consecutive game, and Chris Williams added two clinching free throws. Roger Mason Jr. had 12 points for the Cavaliers (13-2, 4-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), and Watson added 10. "When you have to get the big rebound down the stretch, you've got to get it," said Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt. "There's no two ways about it." Virginia took its first lead at 62-61 with 3:10 left in the game, and after Luke Schenscher gave Georgia Tech its final lead with a hook shot, Watson rebounded a miss to put Virginia ahead to stay. Brown made one free throw for a 67-65 lead before Akins missed his layup. There were two ties in the final minutes before Jermaine Harper's 3-pointer gave the Cavaliers their first lead. "I think if you had to say one word to explain this game it was, 'character,"' Gillen said. "This is a tough environment to play in, but our players wouldn't give in. We just found a way to win." Clarence Moore and Ed Nelson each scored 15 points for Georgia Tech (7-12, 0-6), off to its worst start in the conference in 21 years. The 1980-81 team finished 0-14, its second year in the ACC. "We've been so close in all these games," Nelson said. "But all people see is the record. These games come down to the wire, and sometimes we don't get the lucky calls and it just doesn't go in our direction." The Yellow Jackets couldn't overcome bad games by leading scorers Akins (two points) and Marvin Lewis (seven). Akins had been averaging 19.4 points in the conference. "I feel like I let my team down," said Akins, held under double figures for just the third time. "We always talk about everybody stepping up and giving me help, and they came to play tonight. I wasn't there." Georgia Tech scored 10 consecutive points to break a 23-all first-half tie. Five players scored during the run, including Schenscher, playing for the first time in 12 games. Schenscher, a 7-footer, was four inches taller than any Virginia player and made an immediate impact. Entering the game with 9:07 left in the first half, he had four points, two rebounds and three blocks in just three minutes. He had been sidelined since Nov. 28 with a broken foot. He played just 10 minutes, but was on the court in the final sequence. The Cavaliers scored the final four points of the half to trail just 35-31. They had 11 turnovers before halftime.

ALSO SEE Mens College Basketball Scoreboard Virginia Clubhouse Georgia Tech Clubhouse Top 25 RECAPS January 22 - FINAL (5) Cincinnati 54 St Louis 50 January 22 - FINAL (7) Virginia 69 Georgia Tech 65 January 22 - FINAL (9) Kentucky 69 Auburn 62 January 22 - FINAL (25) Pittsburgh 72 (10) Syracuse 57 January 22 - FINAL (24) Iowa 75 Michigan St 71 AUDIO/VIDEO  Virginia vs. Georgia Tech Virginia's Roger Mason Jr. slices and dices his way through the defense for a tough layup. avi: 791 k Standard | Cable Modem  Virginia vs. Georgia Tech Great interior ball movement by the Cavs leads to an easy basket for Elton Brown. avi: 714 k Standard | Cable Modem  Virginia vs. Georgia Tech Freshman 7-footer Luke Schenscher turns in a sequence consisting of an assist, a blocked shot and a bucket. avi: 2619 k Standard | Cable Modem