Georgia Tech Basketball: Big Takeaways From Yellow Jackets Season Opening Win Against West Georgia

Here are some key takeaways in the Yellow Jackets win on Wednesday night

Kowacie Reeves / Photo Via Georgia Tech Basketball

The Yellow Jackets' offense was rolling on Wednesday night and Georgia Tech won the first-ever meeting against West Georgia who became a D1 program for the first time ever this year. 

Here are some takeaways from Georgia Tech’s first win of the season. 

1. Javian McCollum was spectacular on Wednesday night

McCollum surpassed 1,000 career points in the first half. Whether it was short pull-ups, three-pointers, or driving to the basket McCollum showed he is a prolific scorer. McCollum finished with 18 points on an efficient 7-12 from the field. He also had five assists and four steals. Something that he will add to this Georgia Tech defense is his ability to stretch the floor. He went 3-6 from long range and looked comfortable whenever he pulled up from three. This is an area the Yellow Jackets struggled in last year but McCollum proved he can help in this category and be a force from deep. He is going to be fun to watch this season. 

2. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets offense will be fun

When your team can score 85 points with your star player Baye Ndongo scoring only 10 points you are probably in for a good night. That is what the Yellow Jackets got on Wednesday night. Georgia Tech had three scorers in double figures. Kowacie Reeves finished second in scoring with 15 points and provided several highlight-reel plays in the first half. He also contributed on the defensive side of the ball by adding three blocks. This team also shared the ball and had 15 assists on 21 made field goals in the first half shooting nearly 60% in the first half. Georgia Tech had nine players hit the scoring column on Wednesday. The only concern on offense came late in the second half when the Yellow Jackets didn’t score a field goal for eight minutes in the game. It was probably just working out some kinks but for the most part a solid performance. 

3. Young Players getting a chance to shine

In only minutes played, Dorian Onwuchekwa was productive on the glass grabbing seven rebounds to go along with his four points. He also had three offensive rebounds and as a true freshman showed he could be a productive player for the Yellow Jackets. You saw some early freshman jitters from Jaeden Mustaf but as the game wore on he gained more of a rhythm and got more comfortable. Mustaf finished with four points but showed an ability to create off the bounce and get to his spots and score. It will be interesting to monitor his growth this season as a true freshman. 

4. Nait George shows improvement in his game from a year ago

George was second in the ACC in assists last season and started off the season strong. Now he is a pass-first point guard but he did a good job of picking his spots on Wednesday and converting when he got chances. He finished with seven points and seven assists. It seems like the tandem of George and McCollum could emerge as one of the better ones in the ACC. Yes, it is still early and they played West Georgia. One thing you can’t deny is the chemistry between these two players and it could result in a turnaround season for the Yellow Jackets. 

Additional Links:

ACC Football: Predictions For Every Week 11 Game

RECAP: Javian McCollum Leads Georgia Tech Past West Georgia 85-62, Yellow Jackets Open Season 1-0

Georgia Tech Football: Brent Key Describes the Challenges of Facing Cam Ward