Georgia Tech eyes continued improvement at Florida State

Field Level Media|published: Tue 2nd January, 15:28 2024

Dec 9, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets forward Baye Ndongo (11) reaches for a rebound over Alabama A&M Bulldogs guard Omari Peek (2) in the first half at McCamish Pavilion. credits: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia Tech and Florida State are on decidedly different tracks as they prepare to dive back into Atlantic Coast Conference play on Wednesday night in Tallahassee, Fla.

Despite their 72-64 loss to Nevada in the championship game of the Diamond Head Classic in Hawaii on Dec. 24, the Yellow Jackets (8-4, 1-0 ACC) have won six of their last eight games, including a league win over Duke.

"We have a lot to build on," Georgia Tech coach Damon Stoudamire said. "I like where we're headed. We've got to get some rest and come back and just keep getting better.

"To me it's just a process. We're nowhere near where I want to be. We're still in the infant stages and we've just got to continue to get better in practice and translate that to the game."

Freshman Baye Ndongo has been a huge factor since returning from injury to the starting lineup in late November. He averaged 18.0 points and 9.3 rebounds in the three games in Hawaii.

"He's improved," Stoudamire said. "He's getting better. I think it's just more things added to his repertoire. He's posting up now and he's doing great things. I'm proud of him. You know he'll only continue to get better."

The Seminoles (6-6, 0-1) have dropped five of their last seven after closing out their nonconference schedule with a 78-75 loss to Lipscomb on Dec. 30. The slump includes an ACC loss to North Carolina.

Florida State had a glimmer of good news in its loss to Lipscomb.

Cam Corhen, a starter as a freshman last season, returned after missing the previous five games with a toe injury and played 20 minutes, scoring eight points and matching Baba Miller the team lead in rebounds with seven.

"I didn't realize that he was in that much," Seminoles coach Leonard Hamilton said. "He showed moments of the way he played before his injury and is looking good and will have a great impact moving forward."

The Yellow Jackets and Seminoles split two meetings last season, including Georgia Tech winning in the first round of the ACC tournament.

—Field Level Media

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