In a stunning upset on Tuesday night, Naithan George, a freshman for Georgia Tech, played the hero by scoring 16 points, including the game-winning shot with 7.7 seconds left, as the Yellow Jackets shocked No. 3 North Carolina with a 74-73 victory in Atlanta. The win snapped North Carolina’s 10-game win streak and marked Georgia Tech’s first victory over a top-five opponent since 2004.
George, displaying composure beyond his years, contributed four assists and four rebounds to lead the Yellow Jackets (10-11, 3-7 Atlantic Coast Conference) in a much-needed triumph, ending a stretch of eight losses in their previous nine games.
RJ Davis, who scored an impressive 28 points, led North Carolina (17-4, 9-1) but couldn’t secure the win with a potential game-winning shot just before the buzzer. The Yellow Jackets’ defense contested the play, and the referees did not signal a foul as jubilant Georgia Tech fans stormed the court.
Kyle Sturdivant added 18 points, and Miles Kelly contributed 15 for the Yellow Jackets, complementing George’s standout performance. Armando Bacot managed nine points and nine rebounds for North Carolina in their first defeat since December 16, coincidentally also in Atlanta against then-No. 14 Kentucky.
Despite trailing by 11 points in the first half, Georgia Tech rallied with a 12-1 run, tying the game at halftime off a layup from George. The second half saw North Carolina take a four-point lead, but the Yellow Jackets responded with consecutive 3-pointers by Sturdivant and Dallan “Deebo” Coleman.
Maintaining their lead for most of the second half, the Yellow Jackets extended it to eight points with 5:12 remaining, thanks to a layup and foul shot by Tyzhaun Claude. North Carolina fought back, narrowing the deficit to one point with two minutes to play on a 3-pointer by Harrison Ingram. Davis then connected on a layup through contact, giving the Tar Heels a one-point advantage with 34.1 seconds left.
In the game’s final moments, George reclaimed the lead for Georgia Tech with a crucial layup over Bacot. The Tar Heels’ struggles at the free-throw line, missing eight of 17 attempts, played a role in their defeat. Notably, Georgia Tech dominated defensively with eight blocks, while North Carolina failed to register any, and the Yellow Jackets’ bench outscored their counterparts 39-14.
