Georgia Tech Notches First Big Win Under Damon Stoudamire, Beating No. 21 Mississippi State 67-59

Georgia Tech opens ACC play with No. 7 Duke on Saturday

It was a dismal all-around performance for Georgia Tech last week against Cincinnati and Damon Stoudamire wanted to switch the starting lineup. Freshman point guard Nait George got the start alongside Miles Kelly, Kowacie Reeves, Ebenezer Dowuona, and Baye Ndongo. It was a bold move from Stoudamire, but it was one that worked in the first half against the Bulldogs. 

You could tell from the start of the game that the Yellow Jackets had a different energy about them. At the first timeout with 15:47 left in the first half, the game was tied 7-7, but Georgia Tech would start putting down the clamps on defense. Deebo Coleman and Carter Murphy would each hit a three and it would be an 8-2 run for Georgia Tech to make it 21-15. After a back-and-forth couple of minutes, it was 28-24 with three minutes left. 

Then Georgia Tech went on a big run to end the half. It was an 11-2 run and just like that, the Yellow Jackets led the No. 21 Bulldogs 39-26. Georgia Tech shot 51.8% from the field in the first half and 46.2% from three. Miles Kelly had 14 points and George had a big first half with eight. 

Mississippi State shot just 32.3% from the field and 22.2% from three. Georgia Tech was going to need to keep playing at a high level on defense if they wanted to win the game. 

Kyle Sturdivant came off the bench tonight for Georgia Tech / Georgia Tech Athletics

For the beginning of the second half, Georgia Tech was able to maintain a double-digit lead, but they could not quite get it out of the reach of the Bulldogs. It was a 54-42 lead for Georgia Tech at the media timeout with 6:45 left in the game and the Yellow Jackets were having a hard time scoring. They had missed nine of their last 10 shots and leaving the door open for Mississippi State to win the game. 

The lead got up to 16, but the Bulldogs got it back to 13 with 3:58 left and the next timeout. 

Georgia Tech had a hard time getting a bucket though. Kelly hit two free throws to push the lead back to 10 after Mississippi State hit a bucket. 

They would not be able to cut into the lead enough though and Georgia Tech got a big win at home against a ranked team 67-59

The Yellow Jackets shot 34.4% from the field and 29.6% from three. Kelly had 22 points and 12 rebounds, earning his first career double-double. George had 11 points in his first career start and Kyle Sturdivant had 12 points. 

Mississippi State shot 31% from the field and 23% from three. 

Georgia Tech never trailed in this game. 

This will not be the first big test for Georgia Tech at home this week. No. 7 Duke comes to Atlanta on Saturday for the ACC opener between these two teams. 

After a disappointing two games, it was good to see the Yellow Jackets bounce back and figure some things out and get a big win. It will be a process under Stoudamire this season and this is going to be a high point. 

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