Second Half Surge Lifts Tech over EKU

THE FLATS – Georgia Tech basketball (3-0) came out of the halftime break on a mission, going on two 7-0 scoring runs to defeat Eastern Kentucky (2-1) by a final score of 85-71 on Tuesday night from inside McCamish Pavilion, in Atlanta.

After a slow start, the Jackets entered the halftime break, down 42-41. Tech was rebounding well, but a high-pressure defense from EKU was keeping the offense out of rhythm. That changed in the second half, as Tech upped the intensity on defense while staying aggressive on the glass and taking better care of the ball, leading to two 7-0 scoring runs in the first eight minutes of the second half and eventually, a 14-point win.

Tylis Jordan led the way offensively with 27 points, his first 20-point outing in his collegiate career. Jordan utilized his size down low to go 7-of-9 from inside the arc and 10-of-11 from the free throw line in yet another strong showing from the charity stripe. He was joined in double-digits by Víctor Valdés (17 points) and Colby Garland (17 points). Valdés delivered a special performance, collecting his 17 points on seven shots (5-of-7 / 3-of-5 from three / 4-of-6 from the line) to go along with six rebounds and a team-high six assists to only one turnover.

Nasir Whitlock, Jackson Fields and Cole Kirouac headlined the effort on the boards with seven rebounds each. Tech dominated the glass all night, finishing with a 50-30 advantage in rebounding, including a 15-6 advantage on the offensive glass.

The Jackets took some time to get adjusted to the Colonels press, falling behind 9-19 after nine minutes. But well executed adjustments and six straight points from Valdés sent the Jackets on a 13-2 run. Neither side managed to lead by more than five for the remainder of the half, with EKU in front, 42-41 at the break. Jordan (14), Garland (10) and Valdés (10) each delivered double-digit points in the first half, while Whitlock led the way on the glass, collecting six rebounds to help the Jackets out-rebound EKU 24-15 in the opening 20 minutes.

In the second half, the Jackets got the lead right away thanks to a 7-0 scoring run. The Colonels managed to hang around for a few more possessions until Tech hit them with another 7-0 run, highlighted by a Kirouac dunk for good measure. GT extended the lead to double-digits from there and eventually would get its third win on the young season.

The Yellow Jackets look to stay in the win column this Saturday when they host UNC Asheville. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. at McCamish Pavilion. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by clicking HERE.

Postgame Notes

TEAM NOTES

• Georgia Tech improved to 3-0 in the Scott Cross era, marking the fifth time Cross has led teams to a 3-0 start in his head coaching career
• The 3-0 start also marks only the 7^th in McCamish Pavilion since its opening in 2012-13 and third in a decade
• Tech trailed for the first time this season, falling behind by as many as 10 points in the first half, and trailed by one point at halftime, before erasing its deficit permanently on the first possession to open the second half
• After leading for only 4:06 of the first half, Tech gained its final lead less than a minute into the second half. Tech outscored EKU in the second half, 44-29, to capture the win.
• The Yellow Jackets had three players in double-figures by intermission, paced by Tylis Jordan’s 14 points, while Colby Garland and Víctor Valdés added 10 each in the opening 20 minutes
• The trio remained the only Jackets to finish in double digits at the game’s conclusion
• Through three games, Georgia Tech has had three different leading scorers (Garland vs. Hampton, Nasir Whitlock Georgia Southern, Jordan vs. EKU)
• Eastern Kentucky came into Tuesday’s contest seventh in the country in scoring, averaging 105.5 points per game and was held to 34.5 points below average by the Yellow Jackets
• The Colonels also entered the game fourth nationally in bench points per outing (59.5 points per game) and won the category tonight, 37-20
• Both teams shot over 40.0% from the field as Georgia Tech shot 43.1% (28-65) and EKU finished at 41.3% (26-63) – the highest by an opponent on the young season
• For the third-straight game, the Jackets went to the free throw line at least 25 times, converting 22-of-29 attempts (75.9%)
• After dropping the rebounding battle against Georgia Southern, the Yellow Jackets got back in the plus column, dominating the glass, 50-30, including a 15-6 offensive rebounding effort
• As a team, Tech dished out 14 assists to only 11 turnovers and recorded eight steals

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

• Tylis Jordan logged his first 20-plus point game of his collegiate career, leading the Yellow Jackets with 27 points. The sophomore finished 8-for-12 from the floor, including a three-pointer, and was nearly perfect at the charity stripe with a 10-for-11 showing
• Jordan padded his stat line with six rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals, playing a game-high 34:45 minutes
• Víctor Valdés shined tonight, chipping in 17 points for his first double-digit performance as a Yellow Jacket. Valdés was an efficient 5-for-7 from the field (71.4%) for the best free throw percentage by a Jacket this season.
• Valdés also was 4-for-6 from the charity stripe, while adding six rebounds, a game-high six assists and two steals. The double-digit performance from Valdés was the 33^rd of his collegiate career
• Colby Garland logged his third-straight double-digit scoring performance at Tech, extending his streak to 17-straight games dating back to last season at San Jose State where he finished the season with 14 consecutive 10-plus point games.
• In his third start of the season, Garland hit five field goals and shot 70% at the free throw line (7-10) in 27:27 of playing time, while securing five rebounds.
• Jackson Fields, Cole Kirouac and Nasir Whitlock led Tech on the glass, each securing seven rebounds to help the Jackets win the rebounding battle

MULTIMEDIA

 

PRESS CONFERENCE VIDEO

 

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

Scott Cross was named the 16^th head coach in Georgia Tech men’s basketball program history on March 20, 2026. Georgia Tech’s men’s basketball 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.