Georgia Tech Basketball vs Georgia: Three Takeaways from Yellow Jackets Loss

Georgia Tech had its winning streak snapped vs Georgia tonight

After two huge wins last week, Georgia Tech came back down to earth tonight vs their archrival. 

Georgia defended their homecourt in Athens with a big win over Georgia Tech and ended the Yellow Jackets winning streak. The offense could not find a rhythm and the team lost the battle on the boards. It was a disappointing night for a team that had improved so much over a short period. 

So what are the key takeaways from the loss to the Bulldogs tonight?

1. The offense struggled in a big way tonight

Baye Ndongo going up for a layup vs Georgia / Georgia Tech Athletics

Georgia Tech just could not get it going on the offensive end of the floor. 

Georgia Tech finished the game shooting 32% from the field and 30% from three. Kelly and Reeves had 12 points each while Ndongo had another strong game with eight points, 11 rebounds, three blocks, and three steals.

Georgia did not shoot the ball that well either, but it was a really rough game for the Yellow Jackets. Tech came into the game 13th in the ACC in PPG. 

This is something that Georgia Tech is still trying to figure out and remember, this is a lineup with two true freshmen in it and it is only the third game they have all played together. Hopefully, the offense can start showing improvement before the Yellow Jackets get into the heart of conference play. 

2. Baye Ndongo had another impressive night 

After winning ACC Rookie of the Week, Ndongo had some good moments tonight, though he was not perfect. He had eight points, 11 rebounds, three blocks, and three steals. He gives the lineup versatility and athleticism and he showed that again tonight. 

Last week, Ndongo made 9-of-11 shots from the floor in Tech’s 72-68 win over the Blue Devils Saturday, including a layup that tied the game at 68-all with 1:20 remaining, then a dunk for the go-ahead points with 44 seconds on the clock. In between, Ndongo made a steal to prevent one possible Duke score, then blocked a shot in the paint to prevent another with three seconds remaining. The 6-9 native of Mboro, Senegal added five rebounds, two assists, and a steal, and blocked four shots in the game.

Ndongo has been impressive so far and hopefully, he can continue to develop and impact the game in different ways. 

3. There are going to be ups and downs this season

While last week showed what this team could do, remember, they are only seven games into the Damon Stoudamire era. The Yellow Jackets are also starting and depending on two true freshmen for contributions and a group of transfers that is still learning how to play alongside each other. 

That is not to excuse any loss, but just trying to put some perspective on how I will look at this season. Stoudamire has shown he can coach, but there are still going to be ups and downs while this team gels. What will be important is how they are playing during January and February. They have some favorable opponents coming up and I want to see how they fare in those games before coming to a conclusion about where this team is going to land. 

Georgia Tech's Offense Goes Cold In 76-62 Loss to Georgia

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