First 100 point game in 9 years sets longest win streak in program history
McCAMISH PAVILION — #13 Georgia Tech Women’s Basketball continued their undefeated start to the 2024-25 season, winning their 14th straight game (2-0 ACC) beating Pitt 100-61 behind Kara Dunn’s season high 28 points and freshman Dani Carnegie’s career high 24 points. The win further extends the program record for most consecutive wins to start a season, but also sets the longest winning streak in program history (previous: 13 over 2 seasons from ‘76-77 to ‘77-78 and 2010-11).
It’s the first time since 2015 that Tech scored 100 points in a game and the first time since March 2008 that Tech scored 100 points against an ACC opponent, a 2OT game against Virginia. Tech’s last 100 point ACC game in regulation was against North Carolina in 1991 in a 101-86 win.
Tech came out with blazing speed offensively as they have all year, but also played a rock solid defensive game against a physical Pitt team.
“We talked out our defense should be our offense today because they’re a pressing team…it helped fuel us in terms of our motivation to get stops,” said GT head coach Nell Fortner after the game. Tech finished with 25 points off 21 Pitt turnovers.
That defensive effort required a level of physicality Tech has shown plenty this season, but the consistency at which the Jackets were fighting for balls and not conceding scraps played a huge role in Tech seizing control of the game beyond just their shooting.
“We talked a lot about 50/50 balls. I thought we were on the floor a lot more going after those balls. I was proud of them for that,” said Fortner.
Tech was at 85 points after three quarters, more points than they scored in eight games so far this season, putting 100 point watch in full view during the fourth quarter. The honor eventually landed at freshman Gabbie Grooms’ feet, who hit a jumper with 51 seconds left.
Both Kara Dunn and Fortner wanted to get to 100 when they saw it was in reach.
“No one said it, but all of us wanted it honestly. A few of us tried to bet on what score we were going to have at the end of the game. We wanted it higher,” said Dunn, while Fornter noted “what was most surprising was the reaction of the crowd.”
The win is Tech’s 7th by 21 points or more and their third game scoring 90+ points this season.
“We’re still not satisfied. We’re still hungry,” said Dunn after the game. That’s been a message repeated by Fortner all the same. Aside from Zoe Smith, no one on Tech’s roster has NCAA Tournament experience. They haven’t played for an ACC title. The wins have been record breaking, but they still have the underdog attitude that there’s something left to prove. As a Jacket, it makes them all the more easy to root for.
How it happened
1Q
Tech started with a 7-0 run from a Morgan layup and five Kara Dunn points in their first few possessions. Pitt used a couple of made threes to claw back before Noguero hit a three and Dunn converted a three point play to start another scoring run for Tech to go up 19-10. Dani Carnegie’s entrance in the game of course resulted in immediate scoring as she hit a jumper on her first shot then Dunn scored another five points for a 12 point lead, prompting Pitt’s first timeout with 2:01 left. Carnegie hit a three at the buzzer on a nearly broken possession.
2Q (31-18 GT)
It was threes only for Tech to get the 2nd quarter running with a Carnegie triple and two straight Chit Chat Wright pull up threes. Termis hit a full court assist to Dunn that got Pitt to call their second timeout of the game at the 6:30 mark down 42-24. Going for a defensive rebound, Morgan got fouled hard and came down hitting her head on the floor. She seemed fine getting up but did not play the rest of the quarter. Tech’s scoring pace depleted (as much as is possible for a 22 point quarter) before Rusne Augustinaite scored four points late in the quarter.
3Q (53-28 GT)
Morgan came back for the second half, sinking a three to get Tech running. Khadija Faye provided some problems for Tech underneath the basket, scoring a couple quick baskets and forcing a turnover on a Termis pass. Carnegie and Wright paired up for threes to get the lead to 27 points with about 6:30 left in the quarter. Three minutes later, Termis targeted Carnegie on a perfect backcut pass for an easy layup on a second chance possession. Five seconds later, Carnegie basically walked down the court on a steal n score, forcing Pitt’s 3rd timeout down 28 points. In another flurry of buckets, Pitt turned the ball over five times in the final four minutes of the quarter leading to Tech having 24 points off turnovers by quarters end, the final bucket an Augustinaite three for an 85-47 lead.
4Q (85-47 GT)
Up 38, Tech was able to slow the pace down some, scoring only seven points in the first five minutes in a garbage time quarter but did see Carnegie cross the 20 point threshold. Fortner emptied the bench about halfway through the quarter with Tianna Thompson, Gabbie Grooms, Chit Chat Wright, Kayla Blackshear, and Rusne Augustinaite getting some minutes. Tech got to 98 points with 3:13 left but wasn’t until with 51 seconds left did Gabbie Grooms hit the bucket for the 100 point mark, at which the McCamish crowd of 2,151 erupted.
Stats & Game Leaders
Stats via Georgia Tech
Points: Kara Dunn (GT) – 28
Assists: Tonie Morgan (GT) – 8
Rebounds: Kara Dunn (GT) – 7
3PM: Dani Carnegie (GT)/Chit Chat Wright (GT) – 4
Turnovers: Brooklynn Miles (PITT) – 6
“We had a phenomenal crowd and I started looking around going, ‘what happened? Did I miss something?’ Oh it was a hundred points. And they were so into it. I was really proud of our crowd, I mean, they didn’t leave! There were there and stayed…I think that says a lot for our kids, for our players. They draw you in with how hard they play…I want to keep growing it and building it an fill [McCamish] up. Why not?” – Fortner
Our message is the same. The 2,151 crowd was fantastic, but it can get better. Tech WBB is in the midst of their longest win streak in program history. For us diehards, the least we can do is sell out the building. It may be lofty, but as Nell said, why not?
Georgie Tech Women’s Basketball next plays Thursday, January 2 vs. Syracuse at 7 p.m. Buy tickets here or at the ticket booth in McCamish.