Freshman Mouhamed Sylla recorded 16 points and 10 rebounds Monday, helping Georgia Tech grind out a 70-60 victory over visiting Southeastern Louisiana in Atlanta.
Lamar Washington added 13 points, while Kowacie Reeves Jr. and Akai Fleming chipped in 12 points apiece for the Yellow Jackets (3-0), who won despite committing 20 turnovers.
Isaiah Gaines led Southeastern Louisiana (0-3) with 12 points, followed by Jeremy Elyzee and Jaiden Lawrence, who each poured in 10 points. The Lions led by as many as 11 in the first half, but shot just 33.3% (20-for-60) from the field and committed 20 turnovers.
After leading by two at halftime, Southeastern Louisiana’s advantage grew to 40-35 on Elyzee’s jumper with 16:42 left.
Jalen Forrest’s triple put the Lions ahead by four, before Fleming’s free throws and Baye Ndongo’s first basket began a 9-0 Yellow Jackets run. Seth Jones’ 3-pointer with 9:15 remaining snapped a nearly four-minute Lions’ scoring drought.
Georgia Tech then held the visitors’ scoreless for another 4:23, taking a 56-46 lead in the process. Gaines’ three-point play pulled the Lions within eight, but Washington and Jaeden Mustaf’s consecutive triples gave the Yellow Jackets a 67-53 advantage to seal the victory.
After Elyzee’s three-point play gave the Lions an early 6-0 lead, Washington’s mid-range jumper broke the seal for Georgia Tech with 15:48 left, starting an 8-0 Yellow Jackets run.
With the score tied at 12, Jones’ triple and Elyzee’s basket stamped Southeastern Louisiana’s 7-0 spurt. Sylla’s dunk cut Georgia Tech’s deficit to five, before Gaines’ layup and CJ Booker’s 3-pointer opened up a 10-point Lions’ lead at the 8:02 mark of the first half.
Elyzee’s second three-point play gave the Lions a 27-16 advantage, before Reeves’ free throws capped Georgia Tech’s 12-2 run, knotting the score at 29 with 1:57 remaining.
Makhi Myles’ layup with 1:34 left finished the first half scoring, as the Lions took a 31-29 lead into halftime.
