NICEVILLE, Fla. – Four Yellow Jackets posted double figures, but Georgia Tech men’s basketball (5-3) could not pull out the victory over Drake, falling 84-74 on Saturday afternoon in the Emerald Coast Classic. Akai Fleming was named to the Emerald Coast Classic All-Tournament Team after averaging 14.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in the tournament.
Both teams shot over 50.0 percent in the first half as Drake got off to a hot shooting start, hitting 71.4 percent (5-7) from the floor, including 3-for-3 from three-point range, through the first media to gain the early lead. But Tech’s defense stepped up, keeping Drake to 3-for-11 from long distance the remainder of the half. The teams worked through four lead changes and four tied scores with neither team holding larger than a two-possession lead. Tech led by three as time wound down, but Drake closed the half with a 6-0 spurt for a narrow 43-40 lead at the break.
Fleming dropped in a triple early in the second half to bring the Jackets within one, 44-43, but Drake would expand on its lead with efficient shooting, opening a double-digit lead from the free throw line at the 8:52 mark. Drake would lead by as many as 14 points in the contest before the Yellow Jackets rallied late in the contest, cutting the score to six, 79-73, following a Lamar Washington three-pointer at 1:07. But it would be the closest the Jackets would come as the Bulldogs sealed the win, 84-74, to finish third in the tournament.
Fleming led a quartet of Jackets in double-figures with 15 points. Baye Ndongo added 14 points to the scoreboard, followed by Kam Craft (11) and Washington (11). Georgia Tech won the rebounding battle in the second half, but dropped the overall battle, 36-32. Fleming and Ndongo led the Jackets on the glass with seven boards apiece.
Drake was led by Jalen Quinn with 31 points, marking the most points scored by an opponent since 2024. Both teams shot at a high percentage as Drake converted 50.9 percent (28-55), while Tech hit 47.5 percent (29-61).
Georgia Tech will look to snap this two-game skid when it hosts Mississippi State in the ACC/SEC Challenge on Wednesday, Dec. 3, in McCamish Pavilion. Tip is slated for 9:15 p.m. on the ACC Network.
Akai Fleming was named to the Emerald Coast Classic All-Tournament Team after leading Georgia Tech offensively in both outings.
POSTGAME NOTES
TEAM NOTES
- Georgia Tech and Drake met for the first time in program history on Saturday with Drake gaining the lead in the all-time series, 1-0.
- Drake led on the glass at halftime, 17-10, and took the battle, 36-32, despite Tech winning the edge in the second half, 22-19.
- Georgia Tech committed a season-low six turnovers in the outing. For the tournament, Tech committed only 17 miscues between the two games – the two lowest of the season.
- Seven different Yellow Jackets recorded assists in the game as Tech finished with 20. It was the second time this season Tech recorded 20 or more assists. Tech had a +2.0 assist/turnover ratio for the tournament.
- Drake started out the contest 3-for-3 from three-point range and finished 8-of-19. Meanwhile, Georgia Tech was 9-for-22 from long distance, fueled by a trio of triples from Kam Craft and two from Akai Fleming.
- Four Yellow Jackets finished in double-figures for the fifth time this season – Akai Fleming (15), Baye Ndongo (14), Kam Craft (11) and Lamar Washington (11).
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Akai Fleming earned his first collegiate start of his career against the Bulldogs. He finished with 15 points to lead the Yellow Jackets for the second time this weekend.
- For the tournament, Fleming averaged 14.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game, while shooting 43.5 percent from the field and 60.0 percent from the free throw line.
- Fleming earned a spot on the Emerald Coast Classic All-Tournament Team following his performances.
- Baye Ndongo led the Yellow Jackets at the break with eight points and finished with 14 for his fifth game in double-digits this season. Ndongo just missed a double-double with seven rebounds, tying for the team-high on the glass.
- For the third straight game, Lamar Washington led Georgia Tech in assists with six on the night. Washington dished out 13 in the tournament for a 6.5 per game average.
- Kam Craft reached double-figures for the third time this season, adding 11 points to the scoreboard. Craft was 3-for-5 from three-point range.
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.
Season tickets for men’s basketball can be reserved here.
