NICEVILLE, Fla. – Georgia Tech tied the game with just over six minutes to play, but could not pull out the victory in the opening game of the Emerald Coast Classic on Friday, falling to DePaul, 75-61. Akai Fleming and Mouhamed Sylla led the Yellow Jackets (5-2) offensively, combining for 23 points.
DePaul shot 60.0 percent in the second half to stage a comeback and outscore Georgia Tech, 50-29, in the final 20 minutes. The Blue Demons took the rebounding battle, 19-14, in the second half and were nearly perfect at the free throw line, converting 10-of-11 attempts. Brandon Maclin and Layden Blocker each scored 14 points in the half to lead the way. Meanwhile, Tech was held to a 34.4 percent shooting efficiency to close the game.
The Blue Demons wasted no time immediately climbing back in the second half and took the lead back at the 13:26 mark. Georgia Tech knotted the game twice thereafter, lastly off a Kowacie Reeves Jr. bucket at 6:52, but could not regain the advantage, dropping just its second game of the season.
Georgia Tech shook off a slow offensive start, allowing the Blue Demons to grab a five-point lead midway through the first half, but concluded the half with a 12-2 run over the final four minutes and change. Trailing by three, 20-23, Fleming put together a 4-0 spurt, jumpstarting Tech’s final run, and the Yellow Jackets grabbed their largest lead of the half off a Sylla bucket with 35 seconds to play, leading 32-24. Six different Jackets scored in the first half to help Tech lead 32-25 at the break.
Georgia Tech concludes the Emerald Coast Classic on Saturday facing either Drake or LSU. Tip is set for 4 p.m. ET/3 p.m. CT in Raider Arena and will be streamed live on the Emerald Coast Classic website.
Mouhamed Sylla added 10 points and seven rebounds in the outing. Photo by Emerald Coast Classic/Paul Lijewski
POSTGAME NOTES
TEAM NOTES
- Georgia Tech dropped to 5-2 overall with the loss and DePaul gained the edge in the all-time series, 3-2, with the win.
- Georgia Tech led at halftime, 32-25, fueled by six different Yellow Jackets contributing offensively in the opening 20 minutes. It is the third time this season Georgia Tech has held the lead at intermission, and first since Tech’s game against Bryant on Nov. 7.
- The Yellow Jackets committed only 11 turnovers in the loss for a season-low.
- The teams stood even on the glass, each securing 35 rebounds. The 35 boards were a season low for the Yellow Jackets (prev. 39 vs. Southeastern Louisiana).
- As a team, Tech dished out 14 assists to 11 turnovers. The Jackets have recorded double-figure assists in all seven games this season.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Akai Fleming finished with 13 points for his fourth double-digit performance of his freshman season.
- Classmate Mouhamed Sylla joined Fleming in double-figures with 10 points for his sixth game in double digits this season.
- Sylla secured seven rebounds, just three off recording another double-double.
- Jaeden Mustaf added nine points in the outing, while Peyton Marshall just missed a double-double with eight points and eight rebounds.
- Baye Ndongo contributed eight rebounds and six points.
- Lamar Washington led Tech with seven assists, his second-straight game with seven, to match his season-high.
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 third year 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 X (@GTMBB) and Instagram. For more information on Tech basketball, visit Ramblinwreck.com.
Season tickets for men’s basketball can be reserved here.
