Tech Wins Second Straight, 87-68 over Central Arkansas

THE FLATS – Georgia Tech men’s basketball (4-3) scored second victory in a row on Saturday, defeating Central Arkansas (2-5), 87-68, at McCamish Pavilion. Lance Terry led all scorers with 25 points, the most points scored in a game by any Yellow Jacket this season, and Naithan George recorded his first-career double-double as Tech concluded its season-opening homestand with four wins.

Terry tallied the most points he’s had in a game since returning from an injury that forced him to miss the entire 2023-24 season, and just one shy of tying his career high. George delivered one of his best halves as a Jacket in the first, scoring nine points along with nine assists and three rebounds, he would finish the game with 16 points and 11 assists, his first career double-double. Jaeden Mustaf secured a season high 18 points off the bench, giving him season highs in back-to-back games after scoring 16 his last time out. Baye Ndongo rounded out the Jackets in double figures, finishing with 13 points, one rebound shy of a double-double.

Tech came storming out of the gates, scoring the game’s first 10 points in the opening 2:35 thanks to a pair of threes from O’Brien and George. The three-point barrage didn’t stop there as the Jackets poured in nine threes in the opening half, more than their total from the past two games. George was excellent as the team’s primary ball handler, making nine assists, just two shy of his career high, in 17 first half minutes with five of those nine assists leading to three-point buckets. The steady bombardment from deep, and a 19-12 advantage on the glass, helped Tech hold a 49-38 lead headed into halftime.

Central Arkansas tried to close the gap in the second period, but a timely three from Powell put Tech back in front by nine, 54-45 with 16:29 on the clock. Tech never allowed the Bears to get back within seven from that point on, growing the lead to as many as 19.

The Jackets will embark on the first road trip of the season next week, traveling to Oklahoma on Tuesday, Dec. 3 for the SEC/ACC Challenge. Tip off is set for 9 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPNU.

Freshman Jaeden Mustaf (3) has scored 34 points in Tech’s last two games. (photo by Danny Karnik)

 

POST-GAME NOTES

• Tech has used four different starting lineups in seven games this season, all of them occurring as a result of injury. Against Central Arkansas, Kowacie Reeves, Jr., missed his first game as a Yellow Jacket after starting 38 in a row.
• Eight players saw the court for the Jackets against Central Arkansas and seven of them scored.
• Tech has scored 80-plus points five times in seven games and is averaging 80.6 points per game this season.
• Through the first seven games, 38.6% of Tech’s field goal attempts had come from beyond the three-point line. The Jackets fired up 32 threes against Central Arkansas, second most this season, and matched their season high by making 13.
• After hitting shy of 40 percent from the floor in three straight games, Tech has connected on 50.4 percent in its last two games combined.
• Tech has committed just 12 turnovers in its last two games, setting season lows each time, 7 vs. Charleston Southern and 5 vs. Central Arkansas.
• Tech has 36 assists against 12 turnovers in its last two games, and a 1.5-to-1 ratio (111 assists, 73 turnovers) for the season.
• Four Tech players are averaging in double-figure points through five games (Lance Terry7, Javian McCollum 12.8, Baye Ndongo 14.0, Naithan George 11.4).
• Lance Terry has reached double figures five times in seven games this season and 51 times in his career. His 25 points against Central Arkansas were a career high and left the fifth-year senior just 5 points away from 1,000 for his career.
• In Tech’s last two games, Terry has played nearly 73 minutes, scored 40 points (15-of-24 FG) with 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 0 turnovers and 5 steals.
• Naithan George posted his first career double-double with 16 points and 11 assists against Central Arkansas. He matched his career high for assists, reaching double figures for the second time in his career.
• George has scored in double figures in Tech’s last 3 games, averaging 15.3 points while hitting 18-of-38 from the floor, 8-of-17 from three-point range.
• George has 18 assists and 1 turnover in Tech’s last 2 games, and a 42-to-12 assist/turnover ratio for the season.
• Freshman guard Jaeden Mustaf has scored 34 points over Tech’s last 2 games, setting season highs in each (16 vs. Charleston Southern 18 vs. Central Arkansas) while hitting 11-of-22 from the floor and 11-of-12 from the foul line. He also have 4 assists and just 2 turnovers across the 2 games
• Baye Ndongo has gone 13-for-19 from the floor in Tech’s last 2 games for 30 points. He has hit 53.7 percent from the floor this season, which ranks among the top 10 in the ACC.
• Duncan Powell has grabbed a season-high rebounds in each of Tech’s last 2 games, 8 against Charleston Southern, 9 vs. Central Arkansas.

Lance Terry (0) set a career high 25 points in a Tech uniform. (photo by Danny Karnik)

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

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