Forward Jordan Nwora scored 18 of his game-high 25 points in the first half, and visiting Louisville coasted to a 79-51 win over Georgia Tech on Saturday in Atlanta.

Nwora, a 6-foot-7 sophomore who averages 18.1 points, shot 8 for 12 with three 3-pointers in the first half. He finished 10 for 16 with eight rebounds and two assists. Nwora fell just short of a career-high 32 set Wednesday against Boston College.

It was the eighth consecutive time that Louisville (13-5, 4-1 ACC) has defeated Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets (10-8, 2-3 ACC) were playing without three regulars -- point guard and leading scorer Jose Alvarado (groin), power forward Abdoulaye Gueye (undisclosed medical issue) and guard Brandon Alston (personal issues).

The Cardinals raced to a 43-16 halftime lead over the outmanned Yellow Jackets, who were held to their lowest total for a half and suffered their worst defeat of the season.

Louisville also got 13 points and five rebounds from center Malik Williams and 15 points and six rebounds off the bench from Steven Enoch.

Georgia Tech was led by forward James Banks III with a career-high 24 points in addition to 11 rebounds. It was his fifth double-double of the season and most rebounds since he had a career-high 14 on Dec. 19. Banks was 9 for 17 from the floor and blocked three shots. He was the only Tech player in double figures.

Louisville shot 50 percent in the first half (17 for 34) to take a 27-point lead at halftime. The Cardinals benefitted from 10 Tech turnovers, which they turned into nine points.

Georgia Tech scored the opening basket, only to have Louisville go on a 9-0 run. The Cardinals also had a 7-0 run and quickly turned it into a rout with a 15-0 run punctuated by Nwora's three-point play, which gave Louisville a 31-6 lead with 6:01 left before halftime. Louisville led by as many as 31 in the first half.

Georgia Tech plays again at home on Tuesday against Notre Dame. Louisville hosts North Carolina State on Thursday.

--Field Level Media