Six Takeaways From Georgia Tech's Upset Win Over Clemson In Triple OT

Georgia Tech pulls off another Quad 1 win as it continues to build its resume

Najeh Wilkins | Feb 5, 2025

Feb 1, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets guard Lance Terry (0) shoots against the Louisville Cardinals in the second half at McCamish Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Georgia Tech gave another valiant effort against a top ACC opponent and pulled off their second Quad 1 win against one of the best teams in the ACC. Despite their record, the Yellow Jackets have proven they can compete with the best in the ACC in the last few games. They have now knocked off Louisville and Clemson in back-to-back wins. Nait George was the star on Tuesday night for the Yellow Jackets giving the offense a jolt, but it was a great all-around team effort as four scorers finished in double-figures for Georgia Tech. Here are some key takeaways from the on Tuesday

1. Nait George Had A Career Night- How about it Nait George? George finished with a career-high 28 points and was a catalyst behind the Yellow Jackets' win. George was red hot in the first half finishing with 16 points on 7-10 shooting. He showed that he can be a reliable scoring option for the Yellow Jackets. George really carried the load offensively for the Yellow Jackets on the road. He hit an array of shots including his patented mid-range jumper, three-pointers, and layups. George was the only scorer in double figures in the first half for the Yellow Jackets. He also clinched his 10th consecutive game by scoring double figures. The defensive coverage changed in the second half against George with more ball denial but he was able to eventually find his groove again. He was huge in the overtime period for that being the Yellow Jackets orchestrating the offense and getting the Yellow Jackets in the right play.

GEORGIA TECH STUNS CLEMSON 🤯

The Yellow Jackets grab a HUGE win on the road over the Tigers 🔥 pic.twitter.com/9jcXblRDaf
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) February 5, 2025

2. Baye Ndongo with great all-around effort- Not sure what it is but the Yellow Jackets need to get Ndongo more touches and engage on the offensive end of the floor. He only had six shot attempts in the game until the overtime period. McCollum was out with an injury in the first half and Lance Terry was struggling to find his mark throughout most of the game. Defensively, he was one of the best players on the floor with his effort and intensity. He was great in rotation on Tuesday night, especially with his help on defense and consistent pressure. Ndongo had three steals and two blocks against Clemson showing his value on the defensive side of the ball. On the glass, he finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds in the game. Ndongo now has four double-doubles in the last six games. He made his true impact in the game in the second half being a menace on the board on the offensive glass and defensive glass. Ndongo also hit clutch free throws late in the game when the Yellow Jackets held just a one-point lead with less than three seconds left in the game. Ndongo stepped to the line and hit both giving the Yellow Jackets a three-point lead and helping seal the victory. He definitely needs to be more involved offensively moving forward for the Yellow Jackets especially early in games.

3. Georgia Tech dominance on the offensive glass and elite rebounding- The Yellow Jackets were +10 on the glass against Clemson but that doesn’t tell the full story of their win. Georgia Tech was dominant on the offensive glass with a 24-16 advantage against Clemson. When the shots weren’t falling Ndongo and Ibrahim Souare kept possessions alive on offense and locked down the paint on the defensive glass against Clemson. Souare nearly finished with a double-double just one point shy of accomplishing the feat as a true freshman. He finished with nine points and 12 rebounds. Georgia Tech saw more success with the pick-and-roll action of George and Ndongo while having Souare drop to the paint helped collapse the Tigers' defense. It is definitely something that the Yellow Jackets should run more when the trio is in the game. Georgia Tech really struggled at the free throw line but the offensive and defensive rebounding was crucial in helping the Yellow Jackets pull off the upset.

4. Free throw shooting becoming an issue- The Yellow Jackets came into the game ranked 8th in free throw attempts with 19.8 per game but ranked 18th in free throws made per game in the ACC shooting 67%. Tuesday night was not pleasant for the Yellow Jackets as they shot 9-19 from the charity stripe well below their season average. On a struggling shooting night from the floor, you definitely have to hit the gimmes. George, although he was spectacular on Tuesday night, missed two pivotal free throws that would have given the Yellow Jackets the lead in the game with 58 seconds to go. When you look at this game in its totality with both teams struggling, free throws were the difference. Clemson was 16-19 from the charity stripe hitting 84% of its free throws. Fortunately, it didn’t matter because of how elite the Yellow Jackets were on the glass but definitely an area of concern moving forward.

5. Unfortunate injury to Javian McCollum- This one stung for sure for the Yellow Jackets who can’t quite catch a break with an injury. To add insult to injury, it was McCollum’s own teammate Baye Ndongo who caused the injury. Both were going after a loose ball when Ndongo collided with McCollum in his head/neck area. He was ruled out for the rest of the game after the collision. McCollum missed two to four games with an injury in December due to a concussion. Hopefully, he is okay and it won’t be a long recovery for him. McCollum is the second-leading scorer for the Yellow Jackets averaging 12.7 points per game.

6. Georgia Tech can win the big games- There has been a lot of talk about head coach Damon Stoudamire as the head coach for the Yellow Jackets and the team not taking a big jump in year 2 of his tenure, but I think coach Stoudamire is showing that he has this team headed in the right direction especially as the season dwindles down. When you can beat two elite ACC opponents, one at home and the other on the road, it goes a long way in building good morale. Yes, they are 11-12 this year but they have been mauled by injuries and suffered another one to a key player. This team plays hard and it showed down the stretch even against a good Clemson team that they would not be out-hustled and not outdone even while running a five-man lineup the entire second half. It is a situation where Georgia Tech faithful have to remain patient because this program can be back to what it was known for back in the golden era which was an elite basketball team. Coach Stoudamire is recruiting at an elite level and has a lot of good talent coming in. It is just a matter of time before this team is back in the tournament and a top ACC team.

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