Tech Comes Up Short Against No. 16 UNC

THE FLATS – A season-high 27 points from Baye Ndongo wasn’t enough as Georgia Tech men’s basketball fell to No. 16 North Carolina by a final score of 91-75 on a snowy Saturday afternoon inside a sold-out McCamish Pavilion.

The Yellow Jackets (11-11, 2-7 ACC) battled throughout the second half but couldn’t overcome a 15-point deficit from the opening 20 minutes, dropping the final contest of January. Both teams shot the ball well – 45.6% for North Carolina and 45% for Georgia Tech, but an 18-0 points off turnovers advantage for the Tar Heels proved to be the difference maker.

Ndongo’s 27 points led all scorers for the day, doing so on a very impressive 75% shooting from the field (9-of-12) and 80% from the free-throw line (8-of-10). It was his third-career 25+ point outing and first since March 1st of last year (29 points vs. NC State).

Ndongo was joined in double figures by both Kam Craft (15) and Kowacie Reeves Jr. (14). It was the second-straight game with 10+ points for Craft, the first time he has accomplished that in White & Gold, while Reeves got back into double digits after his streak of 12 straight 10+ performances was halted, last time out, at Virginia Tech.

The Jackets travel out west for a pair of ACC contests in California next week. The first will be at California on Wednesday, Feb. 4 at 8 p.m. ET on ACC Network before taking on Stanford the following Saturday, also at 8 p.m. ET but broadcast on ESPNU.

Baye Ndongo scored a season high 27 points on 75% shooting (Danny Karnik photo).

Postgame Notes

TEAM NOTES

• Georgia Tech dipped to 11-11 overall and 2-7 in Atlantic Coast Conference play with the loss.
• For the second straight game, the Yellow Jackets shot above 40.0 percent from the field, converting 45.0 percent (27-60). Tech has shot at least 40.0% against six ACC opponents and 15 times total this season.
• The Yellow Jackets were efficient from three-point range, hitting 7-of-13 (53.8%). It marked only the second time in league play this season Tech has shot over 50.0 from deep – the other being against another top-25 team at Duke (55.6%). It was the fifth time overall this season.
• Tech held North Carolina to a mere 25.8 percent effort from long distance as the Tar Heels went 8-for-31. UNC came into the contest ranked No. 5 in league games in three-point percentage at 36.3 percent on average.
• Georgia Tech committed 12 turnovers in the outing, allowing UNC to hold the advantage in points off turnovers, 18-0. Seven of those turnovers came in the second half, while the Tar Heels committed zero in the final 20 minutes.
• The Yellow Jackets shot 50.0 percent in the second half compared to North Carolina’s 40.0 percent effort. Baye Ndongo led all scorers in the second half with 15 points.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

• Junior Baye Ndongo scored a season-high 27 points, just three points shy of setting a new career-high, and led Georgia Tech on the offensive front. It marked his third 20-point outing this season and 12^th of his career.
• Ndongo converted 9-of-12 attempts from the floor for a 75.0 shooting efficiency, while hitting 80.0 percent (8-10) from the free throw line. The eight free throw conversions matched his career-best, while Ndongo’s 10 attempts were a season-high.
• With seven rebounds, Ndongo led Tech on the glass, as did Lamar Washington, also with seven boards. Ndongo also matched the team-high in assists, recording four on the night, alongside Chas Kelley III.
• Redshirt-senior Kowacie Reeves Jr. returned to double-digits, adding 14 points for his 18^th game this season with 10-plus points. Reeves was a perfect 2-for-2 from three-point range.
• Redshirt-junior Kam Craft logged his second consecutive game in double-digits with 15 points after scoring 11 at Virginia Tech. Craft led the Jackets from three-point range, hitting three for the seventh game this season with at least three treys, and second consecutive.

Ndongo was honored pregame for scoring 1,000 career points (Danny Karnik photo).

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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.

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