BLACKSBURG, Va. – Georgia Tech rarely leaves Cassell Coliseum with a victory. It never gave itself much of a chance to do so Saturday.
Big men Lynn Kidd and Mylyjael Poteat combined for 36 points on 13 of 18 shooting as part of Virginia Tech’s dominant performance in a 91-67 victory in front of a crowd of 8,925. The loss was the third straight for Georgia Tech, eighth in its past nine games and 12th in 14 trips to Virginia Tech’s home venue.
“We thought we had a real advantage in the post. I didn’t think they were as big as some others,” Virginia Tech coach Mike Young about the production from his post players. “They’ve got good players. (Georgia Tech center Baye Ndongo) is gonna be really good. They’re talented and (Georgia Tech coach Damon Stoudamire’s) doing a heck of a job with ‘em. We liked the matchup (down low).”
The Jackets (9-11, 2-7 ACC) trailed by as many as 21 in the first half, too steep of a chasm to escape. They got 16 points and nine rebounds from Ndongo, 11 points from Miles Kelly and eight assists from Nait George, but all that wasn’t nearly enough to slow down a Hokies squad which shot 55.2%, had 23 assists on 32 made shots and went 15 of 17 from the line.
Tech returns home to host No. 3 North Carolina (17-3, 9-0 ACC) at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
“We all gotta be held accountable,” Stoudamire said. “I gotta be held accountable as the leader, but for me, I think just think the biggest issue with our team right now today, this is what I’ll say, when the game is on, and that (stuff) starts going zoom, zoom, zoom, zoom, zoom, you gotta know what you’re doing. That’s where can’t no coaches help you. That’s where we gotta get better.”
Georgia Tech’s first 20 minutes Saturday were not of top quality.
The Jackets shot 29.4%, trailed by as many as 21 points and had fewer made shots (10) than the Hokies had assists (13). Virginia Tech made six layups and five 3-pointers as Georgia Tech’s defense did little to contest open shooters or slow down the Hokies’ attack.
Georgia Tech went into the break down 44-28, a margin that would have been worse if not for five 3s, two out of the hands of guard Carter Murphy.
“The mental toughness of coming in a building right here, you gotta prepare for a fight,” Stoudamire said. “And we wasn’t prepared for the fight. They brought the fight to us. They brought the confrontation to us from jump. And we were on our heels for the rest of the night.”
Even though the Jackets began the second half looking like a different team offensively by going 5-for-6 from the field, they couldn’t cut into the lead because Kidd scored eight straight points in 3:16 to keep Georgia Tech out of contention.
Georgia Tech trailed by 12 with 13:48 to go, by 11 a little more than two minutes later and by nine after a steal and George layup with 10:58 on the clock. Ndongo’s baby hook from the right block as the clock ticked under the 8-minute mark made it a 64-57 game.
But the rally from the visitors was much too little, too late. Sean Padulla and Hunter Cattoor hit back-to-back 3s, respectively, to stretch the lead back out to 13 and restore order.
“They’re trying. I’m not gonna knock their effort, but we gotta be better,” Stoudamire said of his squad. “We gotta be able to play when the game gets fast. When the game is fast you gotta be able to play the same way when the game is slow. When the game gets fast you gotta be able to play the same way when you’re on the road. You can’t be a sometime-y team.”
Kidd led the Hokies (13-7, 5-4) with 18 points. Cattoor and Tyler Nickel each finished with 11 and Robbie Beran chipped in 14 and pulled down nine boards. Virginia Tech improved to 10-1 at home this season.
NOTES
- Saturday’s defeat for Georgia Tech was its worst to Virginia Tech since losing 76-56 on Feb. 17, 2018.
- The 91 points was the most Georgia Tech had allowed to Virginia Tech since Feb. 13, 2011 in a 102-77 defeat.
- Georgia Tech is 9-23 all-time against Virginia Tech and 2-12 in Blacksburg.
- Georgia Tech’s only two wins at Virginia Tech came in 2013 and 2021.
- Murphy, a senior guard, made his first appearance since Dec. 5 against Georgia.
- Murphy’s points were his first since scoring three against Mississippi State on Nov. 28.
- The Jackets are 2-8 this season when trailing at halftime, 3-11 trailing at the 5-minute mark, 1-7 when scoring less than 70 points and 1-9 when shooting a worse percentage than their opponent.
- Tech is 8-22 in its last 30 road games.
