3 Takeaways as FSU Basketball Breaks Atlanta Curse, Beats Georgia Tech on Road

Florida State and Luke Loucks were back on the road to play Georgia Tech in Atlanta, a place that has not been kind to the Seminoles over the years. FSU has mostly played well recently, winning 7 of the last 10, while the Yellow Jackets enter this game having lost 9 straight games, and look like they've given up on Damon Stoudamire.

FSU started this game very well, as Robert McCray V had as many points in the first four minutes (9) as he did the entire last game in the loss to Miami. Thomas Bassong was also active on offensive glass, and his third o-board led to the Seminoles pushing the lead to 10 a quarter of the way into the game.

A 9-4 spurt by the 'Noles helped push the lead to 16, the largest of the game, and it looked like they were well on their way to controlling the game. They were controlling the pace, holding GT to shoot 29% from the floor, had Baye Ndongo in early foul trouble, and were really getting after it on the glass.

However, some turnovers by FSU led to a 12-1 run for Georgia Tech, fueled by Jaeden Mustaf, to close the half, and the lead was just 41-36 at the break. Could the Atlanta demons come back to haunt FSU, especially as McCray only scored one point the rest of the half?

That 12-1 run became a 14-1 run, as Mustaf hit an easy jumper from the right elbow to start the second half. A three from Kowacie Reeves brought the lead down to 2 a few minutes later, and GT was well within striking range.

Robert McCray helped stabilize things with a layup, a dish to Bassong for a layup, and a three, but it didn't help create much separation, as the lead at the first media timeout was just three. Baye Ndongo was starting to get away with a lot down low, as it seemed like the refs just didn't want to call him for his fourth foul.

FSU created a little separation as a turnover led to a nice transition dunk from AJ Swinton, and then Cam Miles showed a fake pass to get to the basket. That pushed the lead to 8, even with Lajae Jones blowing a tire that could've made it a 10-point game.

Ndongo finally picked up his fourth foul on a rebound after a free-throw, which sent Alex Steen to the line. He sank both, and that gave FSU an 11-point lead on the heels of a 9-1 run. By the under-eight timeout, the lead was 12, and it felt like FSU had re-established itself enough.

The offense was starting to stagnate a little bit, but they were dominating the offensive glass, which led to Ndongo fouling out without scoring a point and only attempting one shot. However, Florida State was still able to salt the game away, going on to win 80-71, the team's first win against Georgia Tech outside of Tallahassee since 2019.

FSU is back to .500 in ACC play and will face Pitt on the road on Wednesday. Here are three takeaways from this big win.

FINAL: Florida State breaks ATL curse, beats Georgia Tech on road for first time since 2019, 80-71

R McCray 20 pts 5 ast 4 reb
First career double-double for Thomas Bassong 14 pts, 12 reb, 7 oreb

Next: at Pitt Wednesday #Noles pic.twitter.com/6uYi5GuBBv
— Austin Veazey (@EasyVeazeyNG) February 28, 2026

1. Great Defensive Effort

Georgia Tech plays recklessly, but they can score some points. Before a few made threes at the end of the game, it looked like they were going to have their worst scoring game in a month. FSU's defense was much better in this game than it was on Tuesday against Miami, and that's how you win games on the road.

2. Robert McCray V Back on Track

I figured Robert McCray V would bounce back after a disappointing showing against Miami earlier in the week, and he did just that, finishing with 20 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds. He makes a big difference in what this team wants to do.

3. Thomas Bassong's Offensive Rebounding

Thomas Bassong was a vital part of the team's mid-conference turnaround, as his defense and energy are infectious. He had his first career double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, including a career-high 7 offensive boards. That's how you win games on the road, and he's going to be a great player as the offense continues to develop.