Georgia Tech 78, NC State 74 — Game recap (Jan. 17, 2026; Lenovo Center, Raleigh, NC)

The takeaway: In a hard-fought Atlantic Coast Conference battle on Saturday afternoon, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets pulled out a 78–74 road victory over the NC State Wolfpack, snapping a three-game skid and handing State a tough home loss. After trading leads for much of the contest, Georgia Tech’s balanced scoring and second-half surge proved decisive in a tight finish. (ESPN.com)

Score & line

• Final: Georgia Tech 78, NC State 74. (Halftime: GT 34, NCST 35). (ESPN.com)
• Records after the game: Georgia Tech 11-8 (2-4 ACC); NC State 12-6 (3-2 ACC). (ESPN.com)

Key stats

• Georgia Tech: Shot 27-52 (51.9%) from the field, 10-22 (45.5%) 3PT, and 14-28 (50.0%) from the free-throw line; 43–34 edge in rebounds helped tip the boards in their favor. (FOX Sports)
• NC State: 23-62 (37.1%) FG, 12-33 (36.4%) 3PT, and 16-25 (64.0%) FT; struggled to find consistent offense late. (FOX Sports)

Top performers:

• Kowacie Reeves Jr. (GT): 21 points — including multiple key threes in the second half that helped swing momentum. (RealGM Basketball)
• Lamar Washington (GT): 18 points with timely buckets in crunch time. (KQSM-FM)
• Akai Fleming (GT): 16 points — efficient scoring night from beyond the arc and on drives. (KQSM-FM)
• Jaeden Mustaf (GT): 11 points & 10 rebounds — his first career double-double was a game-changing presence on the glass. (The Telegraph)
• Quadir Copeland (NCST): 16 points & 6 assists — led State’s offense and dished out playmaking. (KQSM-FM)
• Ven-Allen Lubin & Paul McNeil Jr. (NCST): 12 points each — critical offensive contributors for the Wolfpack. (KQSM-FM)

Game flow — the moments that mattered

• Slow start, tight first half: The game was back-and-forth early. NC State ended the half up 35–34, using a late 7-0 push to seize a narrow lead, but neither team could build separation. (KQSM-FM)
• Second-half momentum swing: After a brief Wolfpack lead early in the second half, Georgia Tech answered with a decisive 12-0 run, turning a deficit into a GT lead that flipped the game’s momentum. (KQSM-FM)
• Reeves’ shooting salvo: Kowacie Reeves Jr. heated up beyond the arc, knocking down multiple threes — his third of the game pushed the Jackets ahead late and his fourth gave Georgia Tech a 74-66 cushion with about 2:15 to play. (KQSM-FM)
• Late drama: NC State never quit, closing to 77-74 with 39 seconds left on free throws by Paul McNeil Jr., but Georgia Tech held serve down the stretch. The Wolfpack missed three late 3s and committed a turnover in the final possessions, sealing the Jackets’ road upset. (KQSM-FM)

Player & coaching notes

• Georgia Tech depth: Four Yellow Jackets scored in double figures, demonstrating balanced scoring and effective rotations that wore down the Wolfpack defense. (BVM Sports)
• Mustaf’s milestone: Jaeden Mustaf’s first career double-double — fueled by his tenacious rebounding — was a key factor in swing possessions. (The Telegraph)
• NC State struggles: The Wolfpack shot only 37.1% from the floor, including just 36.4% from three, and were unable to sustain offensive momentum late despite solid contributions from Copeland, Lubin and McNeil. (FOX Sports)

Why Georgia Tech won

• Efficient shooting: Over 50% shooting and strong three-point performance kept constant scoring pressure on the Wolfpack. (FOX Sports)
• Second-half adjustment: GT outscored NC State in the second half and seized control with sustained defensive intensity and timely offense. (The Telegraph)
• Rebounding advantage: Getting more boards — especially on the offensive end — helped Georgia Tech extend possessions and limit Wolfpack second-chance points. (FOX Sports)

Quick look ahead

The Yellow Jackets will look to build on this road win as ACC play continues, while NC State aims to rebound at home in their next matchup.