Second-Half Surge Pushes Wake Past Tech

THE FLATS – Georgia Tech’s Kowacie Reeves Jr. and Baye Ndongo combined to score 32 points on 13-of-21 shooting, but the rest of team made just 28.9% of its field-goal attempts (13-of-45) in an 83-67 loss to visiting Wake Forest on Wednesday night at McCamish Pavilion.

Wake Forest opened the second half with an 11-0 run to turn a slim 37-33 halftime lead into a 48-33 advantage less than three-and-a-half minutes into the closing period, and Georgia Tech wasn’t able to pull back within single-digits the rest of the way.

Shooting was the difference, as Wake Forest made 52.8% of its shots from the field (28-of-53), while the Yellow Jackets shot just 39.4% (26-of-66). The Demon Deacons were even hotter in the second half, when they made 63% of their field-goal attempts (17-of-27).

Reeves and Ndongo were bright spots for the Jackets with 18 and 14 points, respectively. Reeves sank 7-of-12 shots from the floor, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range, and Ndongo made 6-of-9 shots while pulling down nine rebounds, falling just shy of his fifth double-double of the season.

Juke Harris led four players in double-figures for Wake Forest with 23 points to go along with a game-high 13 rebounds.

Georgia Tech returns to the road for a noon tipoff at Notre Dame on Saturday. The game will be televised nationally on The CW (Ch. 17 Peachtree TV in Atlanta).

Kowacie Reeves Jr. led Georgia Tech with 18 points (Danny Karnik photo).

Postgame Notes

• Georgia Tech fell to 11-14 overall and 2-10 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
• Georgia Tech and Wake Forest hit a combined 23 three-pointers in the game as the Yellow Jackets contributed 10 from long distance. Tech has hit 10 three-pointers in six games this season, and two of the last three.
• Tech committed only four turnovers in the first half, a season-low in conference play for the Yellow Jackets. Tech’s overall season-low in the first half is three turnovers against both Drake and Mississippi State. The Jackets finished with eight turnovers for the game.
• Wake Forest went 14-for-22 at the free throw line, while Georgia Tech was limited to a 5-of-9 showing.
• Kowacie Reeves Jr. led all scorers at halftime with his 19^th double-figure performance of the season scoring 14 points in the opening 20 minutes. Reeves hit five field goals in the first half (5-7), including a 3-for-3 effort from three-point range. With three triples in the first half, it marked the ninth game this season with at least a trio of three-pointers.
• Reeves finished with 18 points for his 12^th game this season with 15 or more points.
• Baye Ndongo followed right behind Reeves with 14 points and just missed a double-double with a team-high nine rebounds. Ndongo shot 67.0 percent (6-9) from the field and converted 2-of-2 at the free throw line for his 16^th double-figure outing this season.
• Akai Fleming, who was held scoreless in the first half, chipped in nine points in the final 20 minutes to just miss his third-straight double-figure performance. Fleming led the Yellow Jackets with a game-high five assists, a personal-best for the freshman.
• Kam Craft chipped in nine points, converting 3-of-4 three-point attempts. The redshirt-junior has hit multiple three-pointers in a game 11 times, including five of the past six games.
• Jaeden Mustaf also just missed a double-figure outing with nine points.

Baye Ndongo pulled down nine rebounds to go along with his 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting (Danny Karnik photo).

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