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Georgia Tech beats No. 7 Duke 72-68, handing Blue Devils their 2nd loss this week to unranked team

By MATT WINKELJOHN Associated Press

Duke Georgia Tech Basketball Georgia Tech guard Naithan George (2) passes over Duke guard Jaylen Blakes (2) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Hakim Wright Sr.) (Hakim Wright Sr./AP)

By MATT WINKELJOHN Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — Baye Ndongo scored 21 points and his dunk with 44 seconds remaining pushed Georgia Tech ahead for good as the Yellow Jackets beat No. 7 Duke 72-68 on Saturday, handing the Blue Devils their second loss this week to an unranked team.

Miles Kelly had 16 points and Kowacie Reeves Jr. had 14 points for Georgia Tech (4-2, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), which has now defeated two ranked teams this week. The Yellow Jackets beat No. 21 Mississippi State 67-59 on Tuesday.

Duke (5-3, 0-1) trailed most of the game, but the Blue Devils — who lost 80-75 on Wednesday at Arkansas — took a brief lead late before falling.

Jeremy Roach paced Duke with 20 points, and Kyle Filipowski and Caleb Foster added 12 each. Roach played all 40 minutes after guard Tyrese Proctor was lost to an ankle injury just 1:16 into the game.

Duke coach Jon Scheyer said his team didn’t adjust well “in real time” to losing Proctor.

“Credit Georgia Tech,” he said. “They were ready to play. They were ready to go, man, and we didn’t do enough. It’s a disappointing loss, something we have to learn from.”

Georgia Tech opened quickly, hitting 3-pointers on four of its first six possessions while Duke made its first shot and then missed its next nine as the Yellow Jackets built a 14-3 lead.

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The Yellow Jackets led 35-31 at halftime, and moved to an 11-point lead before the Blue Devils began whittling away.

Coach Damon Stoudamire said his team could have “rolled over” after losing to UMass-Lowell and Cincinnati in November.

“Instead, they chose to roll up their sleeves,” Stoudamire said about the team’s two ranked wins this week. “It doesn’t matter who we play, UMass-Lowell or Duke. ... We need every single person in our locker room to be successful.”

HISTORY AT MCCAMISH

Georgia Tech has some history against Duke at McCamish Pavilion. The Yellow Jackets beat the Blue Devils 81-77 in overtime on March 2, 2021, all but clinching an NCAA Tournament bid — which Tech verified days later by winning the ACC Tournament under former head coach Josh Pastner.

BIG PICTURE

Duke: With Wednesday’s loss at Arkansas and Saturday’s largely uneven showing, the Blue Devils will slip out of the top 10.

Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets appear significantly improved, and the idea of returning to the NCAA Tournament is real.

UP NEXT

Duke: The Blue Devils will be off for a week before playing host to Charlotte next Saturday.

Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets travel east Tuesday to face in-state rival Georgia.

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No three-peat: Georgia left out of this year’s College Football Playoff

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