Key Takeaways From Georgia Tech's Upset Of No.21 Louisville On Saturday

Georgia Tech gets another notable win under head coach Damon Stoudamire

Najeh Wilkins | Feb 1, 2025

Feb 1, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets center Ryan Mutombo (12) and guard Naithan George (1) celebrate after a victory over the Louisville Cardinals at McCamish Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Georgia Tech pulled off a massive upset at home in the McCamish Pavilion against rival Lousiville in a much-needed victory for the program. After struggling to close out Notre Dame on the road on Tuesday, the Yellow Jackets were able to ignite in the second half thanks to their hot shooting and defensive pressure that allowed them to get back in the game after they trailed by double-digits at halftime. Here are some key takeaways from the victory.

1. Georgia Tech knocks off Louisville's 10-game winning streak- The Yellow Jackets once again end another Louisville streak. The Yellow Jackets achieved the same feat back in 2020 when the Cardinals were hot and rolling during that period. Louisville during this 10-game winning streak has been outrebounding and outscoring opponents in the second half. The opposite was true on Saturday as the Yellow Jackets outscored Louisville 50-32 in the second half.

1.Georgia Tech a tough team to beat at home- It is another impressive home victory to add to Damon Stoudamire's early tenure with the Yellow Jackets. Coach Stoudamire and the Yellow Jackets knocked off two top ACC opponents last year at home in North Carolina and Duke. Georgia Tech did the same thing on Saturday afternoon against a red hot Louisville team ending another 10 game winning streak for the Cardinals. The Yellow Jackets have now got all of their victories at home this season and improved to 10-5 at home.

2. Lance Terry Big shot maker- Terry went off for 23 points in a victory over the Cardinals. He went off for 14 points in the second half and was 4-6 from three-point range knocking down some clutch shots late in the game as Georgia Tech was clinging to a slim lead. Terry created his own shots in the second half with his patented step-back move. He hit multiple corner three-point shots that proved vital for the Yellow Jackets to pull off the upset. He is the leading scorer for Georgia Tech this season and has been a dependable scoring option all season for the Yellow Jackets.

6. Georgia 10-0 run after trailing 49-39- The Yellow Jackets tied the game up for the first time after trailing midway in the first-half. Georgia Tech turned up the intensity on defense and got hot from the field converting turnovers into easy baskets. the Yellow Jackets last had a lead when it was 16-15 early in the game before a Lance Terry dunk ignited them. The Yellow Jackets were battling for 50/50 balls, which made it tough for the Cardinals to get clean shots off in the second half. That led to Louisville shooting 11-28 from the field and 1-9 from three-point range in the second half. Georgia Tech also forced eight of the 14 turnovers in the second half of this game

2. Louisville 17-2 run in the 1st half - The Cardinals were red hot from the field as they showed their dynamic shooting and how they can score in bunches. Terrence Edwards was a key catalyst early scoring 13 of the Cardinals' first 21 points. It was high-level shot-making for Louisville as they showed they could score in bunches and take over any game. The run hit the Yellow Jackets hard and they had no answers for the Louisville offense in the first half as they shot 8-16 from three-point range and 14-27 from the field. It allowed the Cardinals to have a 38-27 lead at the half.

4. Louisville Dynamic Duo goes off in the first half- The duo combined for 39 points and were key in helping the Cardinals build a double-digit lead. Terrence Edwards went off for 13 points in the second half and was 3-4 from deep. He was efficient with his touches and was giving the Yellow Jackets' defense fits. He finished with 22 points on an efficient 8-16 from the field. Chucky Hepburn finished with 13 points in the first and also was blazing hot in the first half as well. Hepburn finished with 17 points. I think what was most impressive was his range and how deep he was hitting his three-point shots in the first half. The Cardinals proved that when this duo has it going from the floor they are a tough team to beat especially during tourney time. Georgia Tech did a really good job in the second of slowing down the duo limiting them to a combined 13 points after a blazing first half. Give credit to head coach Damon Stoudamire's second-half adjustments.

5. Louisville Struggle from the free-throw line- The story in the game for this one was the Cardinals' inability to hit their free throws from the charity stripe. It really hurt Louisville’s chances in the game as they tried to withstand the Yellow Jackets' runs. The Cardinals shot 11-19 from the free throw line, and a measly 58% from the charity stripe. Aboubacar Traore was the one who struggled the most from the free throw line, shooting just 4-8 from the free throw line. Make no mistake that this will be an emphasis on the coaching staff in their next game.

6. Duncan Powell heats up in the second half- The stat line isn’t pretty in terms of efficiency and scoring the basketball at a high clip when you look at Powell’s shooting numbers, but he just brings something different to this team. Powell has great energy and his veteran presence and knowing what to do in critical moments helps this team a lot. In the second half, he scored all 11 of his points shooting 3-5 from the field. Powell also was 4-5 from the charity stripe and hit a key free throw late in the game as the Yellow Jackets tried to ice it and beat their rival. Although the Yellow Jackets have been running six and seven-man lineups throughout the majority of the season, Powell has proven how valuable of an asset he is to his team and how key his contributions are to winning. If the Yellow Jackets are going to close the season at a high level, he will be a key catalyst.

Feb 1, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets forward Duncan Powell (31) shows emotion against the Louisville Cardinals in the second half at McCamish Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

7. Nait George second-half performance and his midrange jumper proves true again- George was instrumental in helping the Yellow Jackets get back in the game and even eventually extend their lead. In their last contest against Notre Dame, he finished with 20 points on 9-11 shooting and had the mid-range jumper. It was more of the same on Saturday and he improved his shot selection in the second half getting to his sweet spot and knocking down the mid-range jumper with regularity. George finished with 15 points and nine assists on the afternoon, one assist shy of a double-double. George has gotten hot as of late and is playing some of his best basketball at a crucial time for the Yellow Jackets especially if they want to make the ACC tournament.

Related Links