ATHENS, Ga. (Interstat) — In a high-octane, back-and-forth intrastate rivalry clash, the Georgia Bulldogs remained undefeated, outlasting the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 92-87 before a raucous crowd of 10,523 at Stegeman Coliseum on Friday night.

The game was a tale of contrasting styles, with Georgia Tech’s efficiency from beyond the arc battling against Georgia’s relentless attack and dominance at the free-throw line. The Bulldogs, now 4-0, used a significant advantage in fastbreak points and capitalized on Yellow Jacket mistakes to secure the victory, while Georgia Tech fell to 3-1.

Neither team could establish a commanding lead in a tightly contested first half. Georgia Tech’s Kam Craft, a 6-foot-6 guard from Chicago, opened the scoring with a three-pointer, setting the tone for his team’s outside shooting. The Yellow Jackets shot a blistering 10 for 22 from deep for the game. The first period featured 10 lead changes and five ties, with Georgia taking a narrow 46-45 advantage into halftime behind balanced scoring.

The second half continued the nip-and-tuck affair. Georgia Tech’s Jaeden Mustaf, a 6-foot-5 guard from Bowie, Maryland, and Lamar Washington, a 6-foot-4 guard from Portland, Oregon, provided a steady backcourt presence, combining for 31 points and 11 assists. Mustaf finished with 15 points, five rebounds and six assists, while Washington added 16 points, five rebounds and five assists.

However, every time the Yellow Jackets threatened, Georgia had an answer, often in the form of Blue Cain or Jeremiah Wilkinson. Cain, a 6-foot-5 guard from Knoxville, Tennessee, led the Bulldogs with 18 points, including a crucial three-pointer late in the first half that helped build momentum. Wilkinson, a 6-foot-1 guard from Powder Springs, Georgia, was equally potent, also scoring 18 points, with his aggressive drives to the basket consistently putting pressure on the Georgia Tech defense.

The game’s decisive factors were Georgia’s ability to get to the free-throw line and their effectiveness in transition. The Bulldogs attempted 44 free throws, making 32, compared to Georgia Tech’s 28 attempts, of which they made only 17. This 15-point disparity at the charity stripe proved insurmountable for the visitors. Furthermore, Georgia’s defense fueled a devastating fastbreak attack, outscoring Georgia Tech 30-6 in that category.

Georgia also received key contributions from Jordan Ross, who had 14 points and five rebounds, and Somto Cyril, who anchored the paint with eight points, six rebounds and three blocks. Marcus Millender orchestrated the offense with seven points and five assists.

For Georgia Tech, Baye Ndongo provided an inside presence with 10 points and four rebounds, while Akai Fleming chipped in eight points off the bench. Despite shooting a higher percentage from the field and from three-point range, the Yellow Jackets were ultimately undone by their 14 turnovers, which Georgia converted into 21 points, and their inability to contain the Bulldogs’ transition game.

The contest came down to the final seconds. Trailing by three points with under a minute to play, Georgia Tech had multiple opportunities to tie the game but could not connect on a three-point attempt. Georgia iced the game at the free-throw line, with Jordan Ross making one of two with 25 seconds left to provide the final five-point margin.

The victory extends Georgia’s strong start to the season, having won each of their first four games by double digits. The Bulldogs will next face Xavier in the Charleston Classic on Nov. 21. Georgia Tech, which saw its three-game winning streak snapped, will look to rebound at home against Georgia Southern on Nov. 18.