Georgia Tech uses a strong second half to pull away from Eastern Kentucky to reach 3-0 on the season.

The Yellow Jackets trailed by a point at the break, but was able to pull away in the second half with their rebounding and points in the paint in the second half. Let’s take a look at the major takeaways from the win. 

1. Tylis Jordan impresses again 

Tylis Jordan had another impressive effort, leading the Yellow Jackets with his play on both ends of the floor. Trailing 19-9, Jordan helped the Yellow Jackets get back in the game with his defense, including strong perimeter coverage and forcing steals. In transition, he got out on the break and converted transition layups and got to the rim. In the first half, he finished with 14 points, four rebounds, and two steals. For the game, he finished with 27 points, six rebounds, two steals, and two assists. Jordan is starting to breakout for the Yellow Jackets and be a major force consistently on both ends of the floor. 

2. Victor Valdes breakout game 

Valdes provided a good spark off the bench for the Yellow Jackets. He was efficient with his shot and knocked down a couple of three-pointers to help steady things offensively. Valdes finished with 17 points on 5-7 shooting and added three assists and two rebounds. He was the just what the Yellow Jackets needed in a game where they were struggling to get much from their bench play. 

3. Turnovers are a problem for the Yellow Jackets 

Throughout the first half of the game, we saw turnovers be a glaring issue for the Yellow Jackets. It was glaring at how careless they were with the basketball and the decision making they had in the game. The nine turnovers they had led to 12 points. A lot of those turnovers came from guard play. Colby Garland led the way with five turnovers and had a plus/minus of -4 in the first half. He scores the basketball well, but his early season turnovers are a story. The performance in the second half was much better with the Yellow Jackets having only one turnover, but this is something they must get under control. 

4. Eastern Kentucky bench came to play 

The Colonels had 22 bench points in the first half vs. the Yellow Jackets. It provided a major spark and helped them take the lead. One of the players giving the Yellow Jackets fits was Justin McCarter, who subbed in at the 15:38 mark. When he came in, he went to work and was a perfect 5-for-5 from the field. He scored 14 of the 22 bench points in the first half for the Colonels. Overall, Eastern Kentucky finished with 35 bench points and got major contributions from there non-starters. 

5. Georgia Tech continues to dominate on the glass 

The Yellow Jackets trailed in the game at halftime and had a +11 advantage on the glass. The second half was a different story as they dominated the glass and took full advantage. Georgia Tech had seven offensive rebounds in the second half alone, which proved to be the difference. The Yellow Jackets finished with a +20 advantage on the glass, and had a +9 advantage in offensive rebounds.