NCAAB Game Recap - Louisville at Georgia Tech
Wed Feb 12, 2020 8:00 PM EST

Kansas
58
WVU
49
F
Lou
58
GaTec
64
F
Crei
87
Seton
82
F
Bama
91
Aub
95
F(OT)
Marq
71
Vill
72
F
Xav
61
Butl
66
F
Hou
62
SoFL
58
F
SouthCar
75
UGA
59
F
(N/A)
55
Tows
71
F
UConn
75
SMU
79
F
Mercer
70
Woff
68
F
BC
58
Mia-FL
85
F
LoyIL
73
Evans
66
F
Maine
63
UMassL
71
F
Stony
75
Bingha
70
F
UNH
50
Vermt
74
F
GMas
72
VCU
67
F
VMI
67
Chat
86
F
Rut
66
OhSt
72
F
Canis
66
Niag
69
F
WCU
62
UNCG
82
F
Buck
59
Navy
60
F
HolyC
82
Leh
89
F
Rich
74
LaSal
47
F
Albany
60
Hartfo
66
F
Citad
67
ETSU
91
F
Lafy
48
Army
65
F
LoyMD
76
Amer
81
F
Furm
86
Samf
71
F
InWor
60
NWSt
70
F
ECU
56
Tuls
70
F
Temp
72
Tul
68
F
W IL
72
SDak
85
F
NOrl
68
CenAR
73
F
SFA
75
TXAMC
67
F
SIU
38
Valpa
55
F
Drake
62
MOSt
97
F
SHSU
79
SeLA
70
F
NebOm
78
ORU
81
F(OT)
IlSt
63
NrthIA
71
F
Lamar
65
Nich
69
F
IndSt
61
Brad
72
F
MTSU
72
UAB
83
F
Fla
78
TAMU
61
F
Prov
69
StJon
80
F
Clem
72
Pitt
52
F
IaSt
61
Okla
90
F
Mich
79
NW
54
F
HCU
67
AbCh
81
F
UCIrv
63
UCRiv
59
F
Fres
84
SJSU
78
F(OT)
Nev
82
UNLV
79
F(OT)
LongB
50
HI
49
F

Feb 12, 2020, 8:00 PM EST

Final

1

2

T

(5) Louisville

26

32

58

Georgia Tech

31

33

64

Stunner in the ATL: Ga Tech upsets No. 5 Louisville 64-58
Thu Feb 13, 2020 12:17 AM

ATLANTA (AP) Right from the opening tip, Chris Mack fretted that his team just wasn't ready to play.

His guys were lethargic. They didn't seem to have any passion. There was no sense of urgency.

When the final horn sounded, the Louisville coach's worst fears were realized.

Trailing all the way and downright awful offensively, the No. 5 Cardinals were dealt a stunning 64-58 loss by Georgia Tech on Wednesday night, snapping their 10-game winning streak.

"It was an ugly game, a muddy game," Mack said. "We were not dirty enough to win."

Louisville (21-4, 12-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) lost for the first time since early January with a 40-minute display of airballs and clunkers that allowed the Yellow Jackets (12-13, 6-8) to hang on at the end.

The Cardinals hit just 19 of 56 shots (33.9%) from the field - including a 3-of-24 brickfest beyond the 3-point arc.

"The first four minutes, we looked like zombies," Mack said. "We didn't have the readiness or toughness or excitement to play. From that point on, we were battling uphill the whole game."

It was an especially brutal night for Jordan Nwora, the ACC's leading scorer at 19.5 points per game,. Unable to crack Georgia Tech's man-to-man defense, he was held to a season-low 2 points.

Nwora missed all four of his 3-point attempts, capped off by a desperation heave that didn't hit anything with the clock winding down.

Give credit to Jose Alvarado, who not only led Georgia Tech with 18 points but did a stellar defensive job on Nwora.

"I knew coming in that I was going to be guarding a big-time player," Alvarado said. "I just gave it all I've got on defense.:"

With the outcome still in doubt, it was Moses Wright who came through at both ends of the court.

Trailing 53-51 with under 2 minutes to go, the Cardinals took off on a two-on-one fast break that seemed certain to produce the tying basket. David Johnson went up for the apparent lay-in, but Wright came out of nowhere to block the shot.

The officials did a lengthy video review to make sure it wasn't goaltending, finally awarding the ball to the Yellow Jackets.

At the offensive end, Wright got the ball near the foul line, drove for the hoop and dropped one in to extend Georgia Tech's lead with 55-51 with just over a minute left. He finished with 12 points.

"To make those two plays in that sequence, that was the game," Georgia Tech coach Josh Pastner said.

Louisville had one more chance to force overtime, but Lamarr Kimble stumbled driving into the lane, losing the ball for the last of the Cardinals' 16 turnovers.

Georgia Tech jumped all over the Cardinals right from the opening tip, racing to a 12-2 lead that prompted Mack to call a timeout just 3 1/2 minutes into the game.

Working the ball crisply inside and out, the Yellow Jackets made five of their first seven shots, including a couple of 3-pointers by Alvarado.

Louisville endured a scoreless drought of 4:23 before finally knocking down a free throw to halt Georgia Tech's run.

Mack showed his disgust by yanking Nwora out of the game before the first timeout.

The five Louisville starters totaled just 18 points. The reserves, led by Johnson and Malik Williams with 16 points apiece, combined for 40 points.

"The starters really weren't ready to play," Mack said. "I probably should have played the reserves more."

Georgia Tech lost the first meeting between the teams on Jan. 22, squandering an 11-point lead early in the second half to lose 68-64.

This time, the Yellow Jackets made it stand up.

PASTNER'S PREMONITION

Wright missed most of practice the previous day to take care of a classroom project.

When he finally arrived at the gym, Pastner put him through a grueling individual workout.

"I told him, `Hey, this is what you need. There's going to be a possession tomorrow that determines us winning and losing,"' Pastner said.

He was right.

BIG PICTURE

Louisville: The Cardinals hardly looked like the No. 5 team in the country, taking their first loss since a 78-65 setback to Florida State on Jan. 4. While Mack conceded that he's looking for improvement at the defensive end and fewer turnovers, he hardly think thinks one loss overshadows all the good things his team has done this season.

"To sit up here after 21 wins and say this is a huge issue, I'd be lying," the coach said. "The guys have for the most part, while not perfect, answered the bell and answered the challenge."

Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets finally won a close game. Six of their eight ACC losses had been by less than 10 points.

"We're right at that doorstep," Pastner said. "The next phase to move the needle in the program is to get through that door. That's the hardest part. To get through the door, you've got to win these type of games."

UP NEXT

Louisville: Travel to Clemson for a rematch against the Tigers on Saturday. The Cardinals won the first meeting 80-62 on Jan. 25.

Georgia Tech: Have a week off before heading to Wake Forest next Wednesday.

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Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 His work can be found at https://apnews.com

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More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

Leaders

Louisville PTS +/- AST REB ST BLK
D. Johnson 16 0 2 5 0 0
M. Williams 16 0 0 8 1 1
Georgia Tech PTS +/- AST REB ST BLK
J. Alvarado 18 0 2 3 0 0
M. Wright 12 0 0 6 2 3

Team Comparison

Lou GaTec
Points For 58 64
Field Goals 19/56-34% 20/46-43%
Three Pointers 3/24-12% 4/14-29%
Free Throws 17/24-71% 20/28-71%
Offensive Rebounds 14 7
Defensive Rebounds 23 23
Rebounds 40 34
Blocks 4 4
Steals 7 9
Turnovers 16 18
Personal Fouls 27 22
Technical Fouls 0 0
Ejections 0 0

2019-20 Reg Season - Series Tied 1-1

Date Result Away Pts Ldr Home Pts Ldr
Wed Jan 22 GaTec 64 @ Lou 68 M. Devoe 21 S. Enoch 13
Wed Feb 12 Lou 58 @ GaTec 64 D. Johnson 16 J. Alvarado 18

Game Information

Stadium: McCamish Pavilion, Atlanta, Georgia
Attendance: 5,801
Game Time: