Rapid reaction: Georgia Tech 66, Northwestern 58

Northwestern followed up their trip to Cancun with a 66-58 loss at home to Georgia Tech. Here are some quick notes and reactions to the game:

-Georgia Tech started the contest on a 20-2 run. It seemed like every possession the Jackets would find a wide open mid-range jumper and knock it down. Northwestern didn't come anywhere near matching Tech's physicality or finesse in the first seven minutes.

-The 'Cats followed Georgia Tech's hot start with an 11-2 run of their own, which included five points from Sanjay Lumpkin. The rest of the first half was back-and-forth, and NU went into the locker room facing a 31-18 deficit.

-Chris Collins made a lot of substitutions in the first half, especially during the early scoring drought. Every Wildcat, except Vassar and Segura, played in the first half, and seven different guys got at least seven minutes.

-In the first half, Northwestern shot 8-29 from the floor, just 27.6 percent. They took 12 three-pointers and made just one. They weren't necessarily bad shots, but often the best look the 'Cats could get was from deep.

-Alex Olah, who had another mediocre first half, had a strong showing in the final 20 minutes. He finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds.

-A late Olah three-pointer made it a one-point game and forced Georgia Tech to call timeout with 1:08 left on the clock. However, the Yellow Jackets would counter that basket with a 5-0 run and pull away to get the victory.

-Bryant McIntosh had an off-night shooting the basketball, making just 1-10 from the field, but he dished out seven assists, blocked three shots and rarely turned the ball over. Tre Demps and Sanjay Lumpkin both quietly crept into double figures, scoring 14 and 12 points respectively.

-The officiating seemed suspect at times, with a lot of interesting charge/block calls. Whether or not they were the correct calls, the Northwestern faithful was having none of it.

-On the whole, NU matched Georgia Tech's physicality and faired well in the rebounding department. Credit Alex Olah for his performance in the second half and the strength he showed down low. Tre Demps also tracked down a lot of stray balls to collect seven rebounds.

-It was a quality performance for Northwestern, with the exception of the first seven minutes. Their defense was pretty good, and they protected the rim well. The offense shouldn't be taking so many threes, but they are bound to make more than 17 percent from there if they keep getting open looks. If Northwestern can eliminate the scoring droughts, they should fair well in the rest of the non-conference slate.