Georgia Tech finishes strong, knocks off Syracuse 65-60
ATLANTA (AP) Kyle Sturdivant scored 17 points, Miles Kelly and Baye Ndongo both had double-doubles and Georgia Tech defeated Syracuse 65-60 on Saturday.
Ndongo scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds; Kelly had 16 and 10. Tafare Gapare scored 10 for the Yellow Jackets (11-15, 4-11 ACC).
A 12-2 run in which Sturdivant scored eight points put Georgia Tech up 48-38 with about 12 minutes left in the second half. JJ Starling scored six points and Syracuse soon closed the gap to 50-46. The Orange tied it at 52 on a layup by Kyle Cuffe Jr. and later took a one-point lead on a 3-pointer by Chris Bell.
Sturdivant came through with a 3-pointer for the Yellow Jackets and they did not give up the lead despite going 2 for 8 from the field over the final 4 1/2 minutes. Kelly made a layup and his free throw finished the three-point play for a 62-58 Georgia Tech lead with 31 seconds left. Judah Mintz made a pair for Syracuse, getting the Orange within two with 26 seconds left.
Sturdivant made a free throw with 21 seconds left. He missed the second try but Kelly got the rebound, was fouled and made a pair for the five-point lead. The Orange missed twice in the final 10 seconds, leaving them 0-for-6 in the final 5:50.
Starling scored 18 points and Mintz added 14 for Syracuse (16-10, 7-8). Maliq Brown had six points, eight rebounds, five steals and two assists.
Georgia Tech led in rebounding 49-28.
Syracuse took an early 9-2 lead but Georgia Tech rallied and tied it at 21 on a jumper by Ndongo that started a 13-2 stretch, giving them a 32-23 lead with 3 minutes to go in the half. A three-point play by Starling and a couple of layups from Mintz got Syracuse within two points before Gapare scored to give Georgia Tech a 34-30 halftime lead.
Syracuse, which was coming off a victory over No. 7 North Carolina, plays at North Carolina State on Tuesday.
Georgia Tech hosts Clemson on Wednesday.
--- Get poll alerts and updates on AP Top 25 basketball throughout the season. Sign up here --- AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Copyright 2025 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20:00 |  | (Orange gains possession) | ||
| 19:29 |  | +2 | Judah Mintz makes two point jump shot | 2-0 |
| 19:13 | | Justin Taylor shooting foul (Baye Ndongo draws the foul) | ||
| 19:13 | | +1 | Baye Ndongo makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 2-1 |
| 19:13 | | +1 | Baye Ndongo makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 2-2 |
| 19:00 | | Justin Taylor misses two point jump shot | ||
| 18:58 | | Yellow Jackets defensive rebound | ||
| 18:45 | | Naithan George misses two point layup | ||
| 18:43 | | Judah Mintz defensive rebound | ||
| 18:27 | | Tafara Gapare shooting foul (J.J. Starling draws the foul) | ||
| 18:27 | | J.J. Starling misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 18:27 | | +1 | J.J. Starling makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 3-2 |
| 18:11 | | Naithan George turnover (bad pass) (Chris Bell steals) | ||
| 17:58 | | Naithan George personal foul | ||
| 17:52 | | +3 | J.J. Starling makes three point jump shot (Justin Taylor assists) | 6-2 |
| 17:35 | | Baye Ndongo misses two point layup | ||
| 17:33 | | J.J. Starling defensive rebound | ||
| 17:25 | | Justin Taylor misses two point jump shot | ||
| 17:23 | | Miles Kelly defensive rebound | ||
| 17:08 | | Kowacie Reeves Jr. misses two point jump shot | ||
| 17:06 | | Judah Mintz defensive rebound | ||
| 16:58 | | Tafara Gapare blocks Judah Mintz's two point layup | ||
| 16:56 | | J.J. Starling offensive rebound | ||
| 16:53 | | +3 | J.J. Starling makes three point jump shot | 9-2 |
| 16:33 | | Naithan George misses two point jump shot | ||
| 16:31 | | Chris Bell defensive rebound | ||
| 16:26 | | J.J. Starling misses three point jump shot | ||
| 16:24 | | Tafara Gapare defensive rebound | ||
| 16:15 | | +3 | Miles Kelly makes three point jump shot (Naithan George assists) | 9-5 |
| 15:46 | | Judah Mintz misses three point jump shot | ||
| 15:44 | | Naithan George defensive rebound | ||
| 15:29 | | Miles Kelly misses three point jump shot | ||
| 15:27 | | Kowacie Reeves Jr. offensive rebound | ||
| 15:23 | | Chris Bell personal foul | ||
| 15:23 | | TV timeout | ||
| 15:21 | | Baye Ndongo misses two point layup | ||
| 15:19 | | Baye Ndongo offensive rebound | ||
| 15:18 | | Jump ball. (Yellow Jackets gains possession) | ||
| 15:16 | | Naithan George turnover (bad pass) (Maliq Brown steals) | ||
| 15:12 | | Justin Taylor turnover (lost ball) (Miles Kelly steals) | ||
| 15:04 | | Kyle Sturdivant misses two point jump shot | ||
| 15:02 | | Chris Bell defensive rebound | ||
| 14:42 | | Chris Bell misses three point jump shot | ||
| 14:40 | | Baye Ndongo defensive rebound | ||
| 14:28 | | Miles Kelly turnover (lost ball) (Quadir Copeland steals) | ||
| 14:21 | | +2 | Maliq Brown makes two point dunk (Judah Mintz assists) | 11-5 |
| 14:07 | | +3 | Kyle Sturdivant makes three point jump shot (Miles Kelly assists) | 11-8 |
| 13:44 | | Maliq Brown turnover (bad pass) (Ibrahima Sacko steals) | ||
| 13:35 | | +2 | Baye Ndongo makes two point layup (Kyle Sturdivant assists) | 11-10 |
| 13:18 | | +2 | Judah Mintz makes two point jump shot (Chris Bell assists) | 13-10 |
| 13:00 | | Maliq Brown personal foul | ||
| 12:51 | | Kyle Sturdivant misses three point jump shot | ||
| 12:49 | | Maliq Brown defensive rebound | ||
| 12:39 | | Quadir Copeland misses two point layup | ||
| 12:37 | | Kowacie Reeves Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 12:29 | | Chris Bell blocks Tyzhaun Claude's two point layup | ||
| 12:27 | | Orange defensive rebound | ||
| 12:03 | | Kyle Cuffe Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 12:01 | | Ibrahima Sacko defensive rebound | ||
| 11:53 | | +2 | Tyzhaun Claude makes two point layup (Kyle Sturdivant assists) | 13-12 |
| 11:22 | | +3 | Chris Bell makes three point jump shot (Kyle Cuffe Jr. assists) | 16-12 |
| 11:09 | | +2 | Kowacie Reeves Jr. makes two point dunk | 16-14 |
| 10:44 | | Judah Mintz misses two point jump shot | ||
| 10:42 | | Miles Kelly defensive rebound | ||
| 10:35 | | +3 | Miles Kelly makes three point jump shot | 16-17 |
| 10:28 | | Orange 30 second timeout | ||
| 10:28 | | TV timeout | ||
| 10:05 | | +2 | Quadir Copeland makes two point layup | 18-17 |
| 9:52 | | Quadir Copeland personal foul | ||
| 9:43 | | Kowacie Reeves Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 9:41 | | Chris Bell defensive rebound | ||
| 9:22 | | Chris Bell misses three point jump shot | ||
| 9:20 | | Kyle Cuffe Jr. offensive rebound | ||
| 9:16 | | +2 | Kyle Cuffe Jr. makes two point putback dunk | 20-17 |
| 9:08 | | Maliq Brown blocks Kowacie Reeves Jr.'s two point layup | ||
| 9:06 | | Maliq Brown defensive rebound | ||
| 9:03 | | Kowacie Reeves Jr. personal foul | ||
| 9:02 | | Chris Bell turnover (bad pass) (Kyle Sturdivant steals) | ||
| 8:57 | | +2 | Kyle Sturdivant makes two point layup | 20-19 |
| 8:37 | | Kyle Sturdivant personal foul | ||
| 8:35 | | Judah Mintz turnover (bad pass) (Ibrahima Sacko steals) | ||
| 8:31 | | Miles Kelly turnover (lost ball) (Maliq Brown steals) | ||
| 8:27 | | Kyle Sturdivant shooting foul (Quadir Copeland draws the foul) | ||
| 8:27 | | +1 | Quadir Copeland makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 21-19 |
| 8:27 | | Quadir Copeland misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 8:27 | | Baye Ndongo defensive rebound | ||
| 8:15 | | Miles Kelly misses two point jump shot | ||
| 8:13 | | Maliq Brown defensive rebound | ||
| 8:03 | | Ibrahima Sacko blocks Kyle Cuffe Jr.'s three point jump shot | ||
| 8:01 | | Miles Kelly defensive rebound | ||
| 7:33 | | Kowacie Reeves Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 7:31 | | J.J. Starling defensive rebound | ||
| 7:24 | | J.J. Starling misses three point jump shot | ||
| 7:22 | | Miles Kelly defensive rebound | ||
| 7:18 | | Judah Mintz personal foul | ||
| 7:18 | | TV timeout | ||
| 7:03 | | Chris Bell personal foul | ||
| 6:54 | | Kyle Sturdivant misses two point jump shot | ||
| 6:52 | | Baye Ndongo offensive rebound | ||
| 6:47 | | +2 | Baye Ndongo makes two point layup | 21-21 |
| 6:22 | | Quadir Copeland misses three point jump shot | ||
| 6:20 | | Tafara Gapare defensive rebound | ||
| 5:54 | | Baye Ndongo turnover (lost ball) (Maliq Brown steals) | ||
| 5:35 | | Quadir Copeland turnover (lost ball) | ||
| 5:16 | | Miles Kelly misses three point jump shot | ||
| 5:14 | | Yellow Jackets offensive rebound | ||
| 5:14 | | Justin Taylor personal foul (Baye Ndongo draws the foul) | ||
| 5:14 | | +1 | Baye Ndongo makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 21-22 |
| 5:14 | | +1 | Baye Ndongo makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 21-23 |
| 4:46 | | Justin Taylor misses three point jump shot | ||
| 4:44 | | Naithan George defensive rebound | ||
| 4:38 | | Quadir Copeland shooting foul (Tafara Gapare draws the foul) | ||
| 4:38 | | +1 | Tafara Gapare makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 21-24 |
| 4:38 | | +1 | Tafara Gapare makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 21-25 |
| 4:27 | | Judah Mintz misses three point jump shot | ||
| 4:25 | | Justin Taylor offensive rebound | ||
| 4:15 | | +2 | Quadir Copeland makes two point layup | 23-25 |
| 3:58 | | +2 | Tafara Gapare makes two point dunk (Baye Ndongo assists) | 23-27 |
| 3:35 | | Judah Mintz misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:33 | | Miles Kelly defensive rebound | ||
| 3:26 | | +2 | Tafara Gapare makes two point layup (Miles Kelly assists) | 23-29 |
| 3:26 | | Orange 30 second timeout | ||
| 3:26 | | TV timeout | ||
| 3:10 | | Quadir Copeland misses two point layup | ||
| 3:08 | | Tafara Gapare defensive rebound | ||
| 3:01 | | +3 | Miles Kelly makes three point jump shot (Tafara Gapare assists) | 23-32 |
| 2:45 | | Justin Taylor misses three point jump shot | ||
| 2:43 | | Baye Ndongo defensive rebound | ||
| 2:34 | | Kowacie Reeves Jr. turnover (bad pass) (J.J. Starling steals) | ||
| 2:30 | | +2 | J.J. Starling makes two point layup | 25-32 |
| 2:30 | | Kowacie Reeves Jr. shooting foul (J.J. Starling draws the foul) | ||
| 2:30 | | +1 | J.J. Starling makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 26-32 |
| 2:17 | | Baye Ndongo turnover (lost ball) | ||
| 2:17 | | Naithan George personal foul | ||
| 2:17 | | Judah Mintz misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | ||
| 2:17 | | Tafara Gapare defensive rebound | ||
| 2:03 | | Tafara Gapare turnover (bad pass) (Quadir Copeland steals) | ||
| 1:53 | | Quadir Copeland misses two point layup | ||
| 1:51 | | Tafara Gapare defensive rebound | ||
| 1:36 | | Baye Ndongo turnover (bad pass) (Judah Mintz steals) | ||
| 1:31 | | +2 | Judah Mintz makes two point layup | 28-32 |
| 1:28 | | Yellow Jackets 30 second timeout | ||
| 1:17 | | Baye Ndongo turnover (lost ball) (Chris Bell steals) | ||
| 1:11 | | +2 | Judah Mintz makes two point layup (Chris Bell assists) | 30-32 |
| 0:56 | | Kyle Sturdivant misses two point jump shot | ||
| 0:54 | | Maliq Brown defensive rebound | ||
| 0:45 | | Chris Bell misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:43 | | Miles Kelly defensive rebound | ||
| 0:29 | | +2 | Tafara Gapare makes two point jump shot (Naithan George assists) | 30-34 |
| 0:02 | | J.J. Starling misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:00 | | Baye Ndongo defensive rebound | ||
| 0:00 | | End of period |