Tech and Georgia to Meet for 200th Time on the Hardwood

GEORGIA TECH (2-1, 0-0 ACC) vs. GEORGIA (3-0, 0-0 SEC)

• Friday, November 15, 2024 | 8 p.m. EST | Atlanta, Ga. | McCamish Pavilion
• Live Stream:  ACC Network Extra | ESPN+ (Announcers: Wiley Ballard, Jon Babul)
• Radio: Georgia Tech Sports Network by Legends Sports (In Atlanta: 680 AM/93.7 The Fan)
• Announcers: Andy Demetra, Randy Waters
• Other ways to listen:  SiriusXM Ch. 371 | SiriusXM app  |  Listen Online | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets App | TuneIn

THE FLATS – Georgia Tech continues its season-opening homestand Friday evening, when the Yellow Jackets host Georgia in the 200th renewal of the in-state men’s basketball rivalry at 8 p.m. at McCamish Pavilion in Atlanta.

Tech, trying to improve upon a 14-18 mark in Damon Stoudamire’s first season as head coach on The Flats, comes into the contest with a 2-1 record, having defeated West Georgia (85-62) and Texas Southern (81-62), sandwiched around a 105-93 loss to North Florida.

The Bulldogs, in their third season under Mike White and coming off an NIT appearance in 2023-24, have won all three of their games to date, downing Tennessee Tech (83-78), Texas Southern (92-64) and North Florida (90-77).

Friday’s game will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra, available on the ESPN app. Radio coverage is on the Georgia Tech Sports Network by Legends Sports and flagship station 680 the Fan (680 AM/93.7 FM). The Tech broadcast is also available on SiriusXM channel 371 and the SiriusXM app.

TECH TO RETIRE DENNIS SCOTT’S NO. 4

Georgia Tech’s Dennis Scott, the 1990 Atlantic Coast Conference and Sporting News National Men’s Basketball Player of the Year and a first-team All-American by six organizations, will have his jersey No. 4 officially retired by the Institute during a halftime ceremony Friday night.

Joined by several of his teammates and his head coach, Bobby Cremins, as well as his family, Scott will see his number hung from the rafters at McCamish Pavilion next to those of six other Yellow Jacket greats, joining Roger Kaiser (No. 21), Rich Yunkus (No. 40), Mark Price (No. 25), John Salley (No. 22), Tom Hammonds (No. 20) and Matt Harpring (No. 15). Tech will offer the first 2,000 fans through the gates a commemorative rally towel featuring a likeness of Scott’s jersey.

The 6-foot-8 Scott is one of five Georgia Tech players ever to be named a first-team All-American by an NCAA-recognized organization, named in 1990 by Basketball Times, The Sporting News, the Wooden Award, the United States Basketball Writers of America, the Naismith Award and The National. He also earned second-team honors by three other organizations, and was a finalist for the Naismith and Wooden Awards in 1990.

Scott, part of the Yellow Jackets’ legendary Lethal Weapon 3 trio with Brian Oliver and Kenny Anderson, led Tech to its second all-time ACC title that year, and to the first NCAA Final Four in program history, winning 28 games before falling to UNLV in the national semifinal in Denver, Colo.

THE TIP-OFF

• Tech and Georgia are meeting for the 200th time on the hardwood in a series that dates back to 1906, and for the 91st time on the Yellow Jackets’ home court. In terms of longest series history, Clemson comes the closest with 146 all-time meetings.
• Friday is game 4 in Georgia Tech’s seven-game homestand to open the 2024-25 season. The Yellow Jackets do not leave Atlanta until they visit Oklahoma on Dec. 3 in the SEC/ACC Challenge.
• Tech has scored 80-plus points in each of its first three games. The Yellow Jackets haven’t scored 80 or more in three straight games since last in the 2007-08 season (80 vs. Clemson, 86 vs. Boston College, 94 vs. Virginia). Georgia has exceeded 80 points in each of its games as well.
• Tech has averaged 10.3 three-point field goals made and 30.6 three-pointers attempted through three games. The Jackets averaged 7.9 made threes and 24.8 attempts last season, attempting a school-record 780 threes.
• Tech has connected on 10 or more threes in a game 10 times under Damon Stoudamire, including each of the Jackets’ last two games.
• Tech has a 56-to-36 assist/turnover ratio through three games, averaging 18.6 assists per game on 30.6 field goals made (60.8 percent).
• Five Tech players scored in double digits in each of Tech’s last two games. Five Yellow Jackets are averaging in double figures for the season, while six Georgia players have done so.
• Javian McCollum, Baye Ndongo and Kowacie Reeves, Jr., each have scored in double digits in all three of Tech’s games.

LAST TIME OUT

A well-balanced offense and strong team defense provided Georgia Tech with its second victory of the season as the Yellow Jackets took down Texas Southern (1-3), 81-62, on Tuesday evening inside McCamish Pavilion. Tech led by as many as 30 points in the second half.

For the second straight game, five different Yellow Jackets finished in double-figures, led by 19 from Baye Ndongo, who recorded his eighth-career double-double and second in as many games (19 points and 11 rebounds). Naithan George was up to his usual tricks, finishing with a season high 16 points to go along with six assists, three boards and a steal. Kowacie Reeves, Jr., filled the stat sheet, making 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal, while Javian McCollum (14) and Lance Terry (13) rounded out the Jackets in double-figures.

NOTABLE

• Baye Ndongo has notched a double-double in each of his last two games (20/10 vs. North Florida, 19/11 vs. Texas Southern) and has eight for his career. He has reached double-digits in points 22 times as a Yellow Jacket and double digits in rebounds 10 times. Ndongo is Tech’s top scorer (16.5 ppg) and rebounder (9.3 rpg).
• Naithan George has reached double-figure points 13 times at Tech (16 vs. Texas Southern). He matched his career free throw highs, hitting 8-of-10 from the stripe (also hit 8-of-10 vs. North Carolina 1/30/2024)
• George has 20 assists against four turnovers in three games, at least six assists in each game. He has dealt six assists or more 13 times in his career. His career high in assists is 11 vs. Notre Dame, Jan. 9, 2024.
• Lance Terry added 13 off the bench against TSU and has 15 double-figure games as a Yellow Jacket, 48 in his career. He is Tech’s No. 4 scorer at 12.0 ppg.
• Javian McCollum has scored in double figures 48 times in his career. He had 14 points and five rebounds against Texas Southern, and is the Jackets’ No. 3 scorer at 15.3 ppg.
• McCollum has hit at least one three-pointer in 50 of 60 games dating back to the beginning of his sophomore year.
• Kowacie Reeves, Jr., has posted 16 double-digit scoring games as a Yellow Jacket (including all three this season), 35 for his career, after scoring 15 points with seven rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots against Texas Southern. He is Tech’s No. 2 scorer at 15.7 ppg.
• Reeves, Jr., has started all 35 games Tech has played with him on the team.
• Freshman center Doryan Onwuchekwa made his first collegiate start against TSU, didn’t score but had nine rebounds and two blocked shots.
• Freshmen Jaeden Mustaf and Darrion Sutton have missed the last two games with injury, while Colorado transfer Luke O’Brien (11.5 ppg, 9.0 rpg) was sidelined for Tuesday’s contest against Texas Southern.

Sophomore Baye Ndongo (11) has posted double-doubles in each of Tech’s last two games. (photo by Danny Karnik)

SERIES NOTES VS. GEORGIA

• Georgia Tech leads the overall series 107-92 and has played the Bulldogs more than any other opponent in its basketball history.
• Tech dropped a 76-62 decision to the Bulldogs in last year’s meeting on Dec. 5 in Athens, ending a two-game winning streak in the series.
• Georgia had won five straight games before that, and Tech the four meetings in a row before that.
• The series has been played alternately on the respective schools’ campuses since the 1995-96 season. Georgia holds an 16-12 lead over that period. The teams’ scheduled meeting in the 2020-21 season was cancelled due to COVID-19, wiping out a Tech home game in the series.
• In the 28 on-campus meetings since 1995, Georgia has won four times in Atlanta, twice at McCamish Pavilion, and Tech has won three times in Athens.
• Before the December, 1995 meeting in Athens that marked the return to on-campus play, the teams played 14 straight years at the Omni in downtown Atlanta, which was located on the site of the current Philips Arena. Tech went 8-6 against the Bulldogs in the facility, including eight of the last 10 before the neutral series ended.
• Tech is 0-1 against Georgia under head coach Damon Stoudamire, and 1-1 against current Bulldogs leader Mike White.
• Tech and Georgia were both charter members of the Southeastern Conference, and the Yellow Jackets went 55-29 against the Bulldogs in the SEC before leaving the conference after the 1963-64 season.
• Tech is 37-35 against Georgia since leaving the SEC.

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 second season 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 Twitter (@GTMBB) and Instagram. For more information on Tech basketball, visit Ramblinwreck.com.