In a stunning turn of events, Georgia Tech traveled to the Lenovo Center and handed North Carolina State a 78-74 defeat, pulling off a significant upset that will send shockwaves through the college basketball world. The Yellow Jackets, ranked 141st in the NET rankings, were not expected to give the 34th-ranked Wolfpack much of a challenge, but they had other plans.
Quadir Copeland did everything he could to will NC State to victory, posting an impressive 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. However, it was not enough to overcome the balanced attack of Georgia Tech, led by Kowacie Reeves Jr.'s 21 points and 5 rebounds. Reeves Jr. was unstoppable at times, and his performance was a major factor in the Yellow Jackets' upset win.
The game was closely contested throughout, with NC State taking a 35-34 lead into halftime. However, Georgia Tech came out strong in the second half, outscoring the Wolfpack 44-39 to secure the 4-point victory. Lamar Washington and Akai Fleming also made significant contributions for the Yellow Jackets, scoring 18 and 16 points, respectively. Ven-Allen Lubin and Paul McNeil Jr. chipped in with 12 points each for NC State, but it was not enough to overcome the visitors' momentum.
This upset victory is a huge resume booster for Georgia Tech, as it counts as a Quadrant 1 win. On the other hand, it is a Quadrant 3 loss for NC State, which may hurt their chances of earning a high seed in the tournament. The Wolfpack's loss will likely drop them in the rankings, while the Yellow Jackets want to build on this momentum to improve their own standing.
For NC State, this loss is a wake-up call, and they must regroup and refocus to get back on track. The Wolfpack have the talent and depth to make a deep run in the tournament, but they cannot afford to drop games like this if they want to achieve their goals. As for Georgia Tech, they want to ride the wave of momentum from this upset win and see where it takes them.