Key Takeaways From Georgia Tech's 79-67 Win Over Monmouth on Saturday

Georgia Tech used a dominant second half performance to edge Monmouth in a 79-67 win. Let's take a look at some of the key takeaways from the win and areas Georgia tech performed at a high level.

1. Georgia Tech strong second half performance

Georgia Tech dominated the second half with its efficient shooting from the floor. Georgia Tech went 15-23 in the second half, and even better they performed well at the free throw line. What was the difference? Georgia Tech did a better job of sharing the basketball. Of their 15 made baskets, 11 came from assists. The Yellow Jackets were not getting to just the first pass, but multiple players touched the ball which led to more open baskets and a more effient performance compared to the first half. When Georgia Tech shares the basketball, they are a much better team and one that can wins games.

2. Lamar Washington in the starting lineup provides a boost

He had nine points in the first half and did a great job on the glass with his five rebounds. When Washington was in the game, he orchestrated the offense well with his early two assists. In the second half, he completely took over. He finished with 14 points on 3-4 shooting in the second half of the game. His final statline was 23 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. He also went 8-9 from the charity stripe. When he is in the game, the offense runs smoother and plays better. He gets the ball where it is supposed to go and takes advantage of the mismatches the team has. I think coach Stoudamire found something with Washington in the starting lineup and a player that can run the offense but also create for himself. That is big moving forward especially with the Yellow Jackets looking to get more from their guards to go with the bigs they have.

3. Georgia Tech improve its free throw shooting

Georgia Tech shot 21-26 from the charity stripe and had one of its better games from the line. This has been an area they have struggled with in the tenure of Damon Stoudamire, but was able to convert their opportunities. In the second half, they went 15-17 from the free throw line. Most importantly, they didn’t settle for jump shots, but continued to attack downhill and get to the paint. This is evidenced by their 22 points in the paint in the second half alone. It definitely says a lot and they have a formula where they can be successful.

4.Kowacie Reeves has another stellar game

Reeves followed up his great performance against Mississippi State on Wednesday with an even better one on Saturday. He finished with 23 points on 7-10 shooting. More importantly, in the second half he didn’t miss a bucket. He scored 11 points and was 4-4 on the field. Another telling stat was his plus/minus when he was on the floor. Reeves was a +16 in the second half when he was on the court, which was the highest on the team. The senior wing player has stepped up big in the last two outings and has given the Yellow Jackets a dependable scorer than can lean on.

5. Mouhamed Sylla dominates the paint in the second half

Sylla did major damage in the second half of the game and scored 11 points. 10 of those points came in the paint as Georgia Tech continued to run the pick and roll and converted on lob opportunities and points in the paint. Sometimes it seems like it is difficult to get Sylla the ball or he can fly under the radar with touches. With Washington in the game, he fed the big man throughout and made sure to get him touches and establish a rhythm in the game. If Sylla can dominate the paint more, and the shooters can hit their shots then Georgia Tech can hang with anybody. It looks like it is still a work in progress, but the more Sylla is involved the better it is for this team.

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