Georgia Tech rallies in second half to defeat NC State

Yellow Jackets snap three-game losing streak with comeback win.

Georgia Tech's Kowacie Reeves Jr. battles for the ball with North Carolina State's Terrance Arceneaux during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (Karl DeBlaker/AP)

By AJC Sports

1 hour ago

Thanks to some hot shooting in the second half, led by Kowacie Reeves Jr., Georgia Tech was able to overcome a halftime deficit and rally to defeat NC State in Raleigh on Saturday, 78-74.

The victory snapped the Yellow Jackets’ three-game losing streak and provided Georgia Tech with its first true road victory of the season.

Reeves scored 17 of his 21 points in the second half, a half that saw the Yellow Jackets shoot 58% from the field. Tech outscored the Wolfpack 44-39 in the second half after trailing by one at halftime.

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Lamar Washington added 18 points, as he and Reeves combined for 28 in the second half for Georgia Tech.

Akai Fleming added 16 points and Jaeden Mustaf collected his first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Yellow Jackets (11-8, 2-4 ACC).

Quadir Copeland scored 16 points and Paul McNeil Jr. and Ven-Allen Lubin added 12 each for the Wolfpack (12-6, 3-2), who had won their last two games and five of their past six.

Reeves hit a 3-pointer with under 10 minutes left to give the Yellow Jackets their first lead since late in the first half. The basket was part of a 12-2 run that put Georgia Tech up 65-58, and the Yellow Jackets held on from there despite some poor free-throw shooting.

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Copeland got the Wolfpack within four with 49.9 seconds remaining after consecutive 3-pointers. Georgia Tech made just 2 of 8 free throws from there, but a steal and free throw by Washington was enough to preserve the win after N.C. State missed two 3s on its final possession.

N.C. State opened the game with 3-pointers from Alyn Breed and Copeland before Georgia Tech scored the next 12 points, including a pair of Fleming 3s. The Yellow Jackets kept the lead until the Wolfpack outscored them 11-2 over the final 2 1/2 minutes for a 35-34 halftime lead on Copeland’s last-second layup.

The Wolfpack had been 12-0 when leading at halftime.

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