Clemson, S.C. – Naithan George scored a career-high 28 points and played all 55 minutes, and Baye Ndongo scored Georgia Tech’s final six points in the third overtime to keep Clemson at bay as the Yellow Jackets outlasted the Tigers in a wild 89-86 contest on Tuesday night at Littlejohn Coliseum.
In a game featuring 14 ties and 23 lead changes, neither Tech (11-12, 5-7 ACC) or Clemson (18-5, 10-2 ACC) led by more than six points. The Yellow Jackets overcame foul trouble to Ndongo and Duncan Powell and a probable concussion that sidelined Javian McCollum late in the second half. Head coach Damon Stoudamire played the same five players for the final 10:17 of regulation and all three overtime periods as Tech earned its first road win of the season.
George had 7 assists and 5 rebounds to go with his 28 points. Ndongo had 18 points and 13 rebounds for his third double-double in the last six games. Powell finished with 19 points and 8 boards, and Lance Terry scored 12 points with a career-high 10 rebounds. Ibrahim Souare scored 9 points with 12 rebounds, both career highs.
The Tigers held that six-point lead at 60-54 with 2:39 to go in regulation, but the Yellow Jackets did not allow Clemson a field goal over the final 4:55.
Clemson led by five, 64-59, after a pair of Ian Schieffelin free throws with 59 seconds left. Powell got open for a three-point field goal with 39 seconds left to make it 64-62. After Clemson’s Chase Hunter missed a three-point try with seven seconds left, Powell missed a three of his own, but rebounded the miss and put back a layup just ahead of the final horn to tie the game at 64-all.
George scored twice and Powell once in the first overtime, but the Tigers hit four free throws and a layup to force a 70-70 tie and a second extra period.
The second overtime went back and forth, but this time Tech had to get a bucket to tie the game and did so with George finding Ibrahim Souare for a dunk with 15 seconds left. Hunter again had a three-point try to win, but he was off the mark with two seconds left to leave the scored tied at 77.
Tech never trailed in the third OT, with Ndongo and Hunter each trying to carry their teams to victory. Ndongo first hit a free throw and Powell a jumper to put the Jackets ahead 83-80. Chauncey Wiggins tied the game on a three-pointer, but Terry answered right back with a triple. After two Hunter free throws trimmed the Tech lead again to one, Ndongo answered with a layup. Hunter hit a jumper in the paint, but Ndongo responded in kind, making the score 87-86 in favor of the visitors with 29 seconds left. Ndongo was fouled with three seconds left and made both free throws for the final 89-86 margin.
After each team called a timeout as Clemson tried to set up for a final shot, Hunter again missed a three-point try and Tech rebounded as the final horn sounded.
Hunter matched George for game-high honors with 28 points, while Schieffelin scored 23, and Wiggins added 15 for the Tigers.
Tech returns to action Saturday, Feb. 8 at 5:30 p.m. EST when it travels to Charlottesville to take on Virginia. The game will be televised live on The CW Network.
Duncan Powell (31) scored 19 points, including a 3-pointer in the final minute of regulation, and put back his own miss at the buzzer to send the game into overtime. (photo by Brandon Spearman)
POST-GAME NOTES
- Tech has defeated two top-25 teams in a row (No. 21 Louisville and No, 21 Clemson) for the first time since early in the 2023-24 season (No. 21 Mississippi State and No. 7 Duke). The Jackets are now 2-4 this season vs. top-25 teams and 5-6 under Damon Stoudamire.
- Tech has won two straight games against NCAA NET Quad 1 teams and are now 2-5 against them in 2024-25, 6-12 under Damon Stoudamire.
- Tech has won its last two games at Littlejohn Coliseum, but it took five overtimes. The Jackets took a 93-90 double-overtime win over the Tigers in 2023-24.
- This was Tech’s first overtime game of the 2024-25 season, and the sixth game of three or more overtimes in program history. The Jackets are 5-0 all-time in triple-overtime games, 0-1 in quadruple overtime games.
- Six of Tech’s 12 ACC games this season have been decided by single digits, including each of the last four (71-64 win over Virginia Tech, 71-68 loss at Notre Dame, 77-70 win over Louisville, 89-86 win over Clemson.
- Three Tech players logged more than 52 minutes vs. Clemson, including Naithan George, who played all 55. Baye Ndongo played 52:30, and Lance Terry played 52:16. Tech did not substitute after the 10:17 mark of the second half.
- Three Yellow Jackets had double-digit rebounds – Ndongo with 13, Ibrahim Souare 12 and Terry 10. That last happened last March 2 vs. Florida State (Ndongo 14, Tyzhaun Claude 10, Tafara Gapare 10).
- Tech held Clemson to 36.4% shooting from the floor, including 40% (16-of-40) from inside the three-point arc.
- Tech grabbed a season-high 24 offensive rebounds against Clemson, 10 more than any other game this season, and turned them into 29 second-chance points, double any previous ACC game this season.
Baye Ndongo (11) had 18 points and 13 rebounds for his third double-double in Tech’s last six games. (photo by Brandon Spearman)
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
POST-GAME AUDIO AND VIDEO
