Jackets roll to win over FAMU, head into ACC play with momentum
Georgia Tech closed out its best non-conference record since the 2015-16 season on Sunday afternoon at McCamish Pavilion thanks to a dominant performance in an 89-65 victory over Florida A&M to improve to 9-4 and push its win streak to four heading into ACC play.
The Jackets had six players score in double figures with the big story being the return of Baye Ndongo and Jaeden Mustaf, who have each missed the last three-plus weeks due to injury, as the pair combined for 24 points and 17 rebounds. Ndongo was Tech’s top scorer with 15 to go with his 11 rebounds for the double-double while Mustaf added nine points, six boards and four assists in his return. Ndongo also had five assists.
Chas Kelley III contributed his best game of the season for Tech as well as he scored 14 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, and Akai Fleming scored 12 points of his own.
Rounding out the double-digit scorers for the Jackets were Mo Sylla and Kowacie Reeves Jr. with 11 apiece and Lamar Washington with 10 points. Sylla added eight rebounds to narrowly fall short of a double-double, and Washington continued his surge of late in the assists department with eight in that category during Sunday’s contest.
Georgia Tech grabbed the lead 14 seconds into the game and never gave it up as FAMU (3-8) was unable to stay within striking distance for long. Tech led 43-21 at the half thanks in large part to a 14-0 run midway through the first half and built the lead as high as 34 early in the second half before letting the reserves handle much of the playing time over the final 10-plus minutes of the game.
Tech was dominant on the boards, out-rebounding FAMU 46-29 and also had a 50-22 edge in points in the paint. The Jackets’ bench chipped in with 30 points compared to FAMU’s 10.
Florida A&M was led by Kaleb Washington in the loss with a game-high 21 points, and teammate Jaquan Sanders scored 20. No other Rattler reached double figures.
With the non-conference schedule now in the rearview mirror, head coach Damon Stoudamire and his Jackets’ squad quickly turn their attention to the ACC as they open conference play with an extremely tough test on the road at Duke (11-1) on New Year’s Eve (Wednesday) at 4 p.m. at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Tech, which has now won four straight since losing at home to Mississippi State on Dec. 3, returns home this Saturday to host Boston College at 2 p.m. at McCamish Pavilion.
