BERKELEY, Calif. – Baye Ndongo just missed a triple double with 12 rebounds, 10 points and eight assists, and Georgia Tech erased its deficit to take the lead in the second half, but the Yellow Jackets could not secure the road victory, falling at California, 90-85, Wednesday night.
Hot shooting from the Golden Bears allowed the home team to open a double-digit lead in the first half as Cal shot 50.0 percent in the opening 20 minutes. Cal led by as many as 14 in the first half, including its halftime advantage of 43-29.
But it was a tale of two halves as Georgia Tech came out strong in the second half and quickly began attacking its deficit. After a three-pointer from Dai Dai Ames, the Yellow Jackets strung together an 8-0 spurt in just over a minute of playing time, slicing the score to 47-41 and forcing Cal to burn a timeout with 17:05 on the clock.
Tech extended its run to 20-2, capped by buckets from Davi Remagen, Akai Fleming and Chas Kelley III, giving the Yellow Jackets their first advantage of the game, 53-49, with 14:08 remaining. The Golden Bears regained the lead from the free throw line in the next possessions before Kelley drained a triple to a 56-54 Tech lead, its final advantage of the game. Kam Craft knotted the game at 59-59 with his third three-pointer of the game at 10:14, but California would keep Tech’s rally at bay and close out the win, 90-85.
The Jackets outscored the Golden Bears in the second half, 56-47, shooting 55.3 percent from the field. But California finished 28-of-39 at the free throw line, including a 23-of-30 effort in the second half, to seal the win. Cal’s effort at the free throw line marked the highest total at the charity stripe by an ACC opponent this season and most since Louisville converted 31-of-34 on Feb. 10, 2024.
Tech dominated in the paint, 48-16, and scored 38 points off the bench for its highest bench total this season. Fleming led Tech offensively with 19 points, followed by Kelley (15), Craft (14), Jaeden Mustaf (14) and Ndongo (10). Ndongo led the Jackets on the glass with his game-high 12 rebounds, while dishing out a career-high eight assists.
Ames led Cal with 29 points and was one of five Golden Bears in double figures. Cal hit 12 three-pointers in the outing, including eight in the first half to help the Golden Bears open the double-figure advantage.
Georgia Tech concludes its West Coast swing on Saturday, Feb. 7 at Stanford. Tip is slated for 8 p.m. ET in Maples Pavilion and will be broadcast on ESPNU.
Baye Ndongo logged his fourth double-double of the season with 12 rebounds and 10 points (Grayson Rosen photo).
Postgame Notes
TEAM NOTES
- Georgia Tech dipped to 11-12 overall and 2-8 in Atlantic Coast Conference play with the loss.
- For the sixth time this season, five Yellow Jackets finished in double figures. It was the 14th time at least four Jackets posted 10-plus points in a game.
- Tech saw 38 points off the bench, it’s highest output of the season, behind Akai Fleming’s 19 points and Chas Kelley III’s
- The Jackets dished out 20 assists in the outing for the sixth game this season with 20 or more.
- After hitting only two three-pointers in the first half, the Jackets connected on 8-of-12 in the second half to finish with 10 on the day. It was the fifth time this season hitting at least 10 from deep.
- Georgia Tech dominated in the paint, outscoring the Golden Bears, 48-16.
- Cal was 28-for-39 from the free throw line to Tech’s 7-of-14 showing.
- Tech committed just eight turnovers, while forcing 14 from Cal. The Jackets now have six games this season with less than 10 miscues.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Junior Baye Ndongo recorded his fourth double-double of the season, and 23rd of his career, with 12 rebounds and 10 points. He was two assists away from a triple-double, dishing out a career-high eight in the game.
- Ndongo was efficient from the field, converting 4-of-6 field goal attempts.
- Freshman Akai Fleming was one point shy of matching his career-high, finishing with 19 points. Fleming converted a season-best three three-pointers, hitting two in the final two minutes.
- The 19-point effort from Fleming was his 11th double-figure performance this season.
- Chas Kelley III finished with 15 points for his fourth game this season in double-figures, and ninth of his career. Kelley hit two three-pointers, while shooting 60.0 percent (6-10) from the field.
- Kam Craft recorded his third-straight game in double-figures, adding 14 points to the scoreboard. Craft connected on a trio of three-pointers, while pulling down four rebounds.
- Craft has hit three three-pointers in his last three games.
- Sophomore Jaeden Mustaf also added 14 points in the outing. Mustaf has now scored in double-figures six times this season, with five coming in ACC play.
- Lamar Washington was just shy of a double-figure performance, adding nine points in the game.
