GEORGIA TECH (1-1, 0-0 ACC) vs. TEXAS SOUTHERN (1-2, 0-0 SWAC)
THE FLATS – Georgia Tech wraps up the Peach State Classic, the two-game multi-team event it is co-hosting with Georgia, Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. when it hosts Texas Southern at McCamish Pavilion.
Tech dropped a 105-93 contest Sunday to North Florida in the opener of the event, while Texas Southern fell to the Bulldogs in Athens, 92-64.
The Yellow Jackets are 1-1 following Sunday’s loss, which came on the heels of an 85-62 win in their season opener against West Georgia.
The Tigers, a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, went 16-17 overall in 2023-24 and 12-6 in SWAC competition. They dropped a tight 78-69 decision at Xavier in their season opener, and routed Texas A&M-San Antonio, 100-69, before their loss to Georgia.
Tuesday’s game will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra, available on the ESPN app. Radio coverage is on the Georgia Tech Sports Network by Legends Sports and flagship station 680 the Fan (680 AM/93.7 FM). The Tech broadcast is also available on SiriusXM channel 388 and on the SiriusXM app.
Baye Ndongo (11) has seven career double-doubles for Tech after scoring 20 points with 10 rebounds against North Florida. (photo by Danny Karnik)
LAST TIME OUT
Despite placing five players in double-figure points and scoring 93 points, which matched a high for the Yellow Jackets under Damon Stoudamire, Georgia Tech lost for the first time this season, 105-93, to North Florida Sunday at McCamish Pavilion.
The Yellow Jackets spread around the offense, with five players finishing with 10 or more points. Baye Ndongo delivered his first double-double of the season, and seventh of his career, finishing with a team-high 20 points and 10 rebounds. Kowacie Reeves, Jr. (17), Luke O’Brien (15), Lance Terry (14) and Javian McCollum (14) rounded out the double-digit scorers. Naithan George filled the stat sheet, making a team-leading seven assists to go along with a career high six rebounds, five points and a steal.
The Jackets got off to a hot start offensively, pouring in 10 of their first 13 field goal attempts to go in front, 24-16 after only 6:37 of game time. Ndongo was crucial in the early success, making all three of his shot attempts while adding in two rebounds and a pair of assists, both to O’Brien on the back door.
North Florida battled back, eventually tying things at 26-26. The offensive showcase continued for both teams throughout the half with UNF holding a four-point lead after 20 minutes (53-49) and both teams shooting over 50 percent from the field. The Ospreys maintained their offensive rhythm into the second, going on a 22-4 run to open a deficit as large as 20 points (80-60). Tech could only get as close as 10 points after that.
NOTABLE
- Texas Southern head coach Johnny Jones was an assistant coach at LSU for five meetings against Georgia Tech between 1986-90. Three of those were NCAA Tournament games, of which the Yellow Jackets won two, including a 1990 meeting in the second round in Knoxville, Tenn. That Tiger team included Shaquille O’Neal, Stanley Roberts and Chris Jackson.
- Tech is playing its first seven games of the season at McCamish Pavilion. The Jackets do not play away from home until Dec. 3 (ACC opener at North Carolina).
- Tech has a 42-to-22 assist/turnover ratio through two games.
- Tech has shot 47.6 percent from the floor in its first two games, and four players are above 50 percent (Kowacie Reeves Jr., is at 48 percent).
- Five Tech players scored in double digits against North Florida.
- Tech’s 93 points against North Florida matched a team high for the Jackets under Damon Stoudamire and were the most in a regulation game. The Jackets won 93-90 in overtime at Clemson last season (Jan. 16, 2024).
- Tech has connected on 10 or more threes in a game nine times under Stoudamire. The Jackets had 13 against North Florida, second most in any game.
- Baye Ndongo has seven career double-doubles after posting 20 points (9-18 FG) and 10 rebounds against North Florida. It was his 21st double-figure scoring game.
- Oklahoma transfer Javian McCollum has scored in double figures 47 times in his career. He had 14 points and six assists against North Florida.
- McCollum has hit at least one three-pointer in 49 of 59 games dating back to the beginning of his sophomore year.
- Kowacie Reeves, Jr., posted his 15th double-digit scoring game as a Yellow Jacket, 34th of his career, with 17 points (6-12 FG) against UNF.
- Reeves, Jr., has started all 34 games Tech has played with him on the team.
- Naithan George has had seven assists in each of Tech’s first two games, recording 14 total against just two turnovers. He has dealt seven assists or more 10 times in his career. His career high in assists is 11 vs. Notre Dame, Jan. 9, 2024.
- Colorado transfer Luke O’Brien scored 15 points against North Florida, his 19th career double-digit game.
- Lance Terry added 14 off the bench against UNF, his 14th double-figure game as a Yellow Jacket, 47th of his career.
- McCollum reached 1,000 points for his collegiate career when he scored 18 in Tech’s season opener against West Georgia. The 6-2 senior scored 400 or more in each of his last two seasons at Siena and Oklahoma.
- Terry began his final collegiate season 108 points shy of 1,000 for his career (he now has 915).
Sophomore Naithan George (1) has 14 assists against just two turnovers in Tech’s first two games. (photo by Danny Karnik)
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.
ABOUT GEORGIA TECH MEN’S BASKETBALL
Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball team is in its second season under head coach Damon Stoudamire. Tech has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference since 1979, won four ACC Championships (1985, 1990, 1993, 2021), played in the NCAA Tournament 17 times and played in two Final Fours (1990, 2004). Connect with Georgia Tech Men’s Basketball on social media by liking their Facebook Page, or following on Twitter (@GTMBB) and Instagram. For more information on Tech basketball, visit Ramblinwreck.com.
