DURHAM, N.C. – In a thrilling matchup at Cameron Indoor Stadium, Kowacie Reeves Jr. shone for Georgia Tech, going 5-for-7 from beyond the arc and recording his fifth 20-plus point game of the season. He also reached a personal milestone by surpassing 1,000 career points. However, despite his impressive performance, the Yellow Jackets fell short, losing to No. 6/5 Duke with a final score of 85-79 on Wednesday afternoon.
The critical factor in the game’s outcome was the free throw disparity. Georgia Tech capitalized at the line, hitting 11 of 13 attempts for an 84.6 percent accuracy, while Duke found success on 24 of 35 attempts for 68.6 percent. Tech outperformed the Blue Devils from three-point territory, sinking 10 shots for the third game this season with double-digit three-pointers. Overall, Georgia Tech recorded a shooting percentage of 53.7 percent (29-54), though they struggled in the second half with a 38.5 percent clip. Duke, on the other hand, wrapped up the game shooting 44.1 percent in the final 20 minutes and 40.6 percent overall.
Georgia Tech took an early lead in the second half, going up by seven points at 50-43 after a triple from Reeves. However, Duke quickly responded with a 16-4 run to take a 59-54 advantage with just over 12 minutes left in the game. The Yellow Jackets continued to fight back, narrowing the gap after Duke regained a seven-point lead with 7:45 remaining. A late surge saw Tech reduce the deficit to 73-70, and Akai Fleming brought it down to one point at 76-75 from the free throw line with 3:17 left. Reeves eventually hit his fifth three-pointer just before the game concluded, making it an 81-78 score as he marked his milestone career point.
The first half saw an intense back-and-forth battle, with neither team managing to pull away by more than two possessions. Georgia Tech held its largest lead of the half at six points, and with the two teams tied multiple times, the Jackets ended the half strong by scoring eight of the last ten points, leading 43-39 at the break.
Duke’s Cameron Boozer was the standout performer, scoring 26 points and leading a balanced attack featuring five players in double figures.
Looking ahead, Georgia Tech will begin their ACC home schedule, facing Boston College at McCamish Pavilion on Saturday, January 3, with the game set to tip off at 2 p.m. on the ACC Network.