Guess who’s back????? And dropped 29 on em!!!!!!
CHARLOTTESVILLE — Georgia Tech defeated Virginia, 75-62 tonight in a game in which the first quarter may have been the most important.
The Jackets’s first-quarter success came after an early time-out call by Nell Fortner. Resuming from the break, Tech outscored the Hoos 18-2 in the remaining 7:22 of the first. Dani Carnegie led the charge with nine points, followed by Ariadna Termis with six and Kayla Blackshear with four. Virginia scored six points and turned the ball over six times in the first, allowing for nothing but improvement in the remaining time.
After a slow start, Virginia was righted by sophomore Kymora Johnson, who found her rhythm in the second. They outscored Tech in the second and third quarters, with Johnson scoring 22 on the night. The Wahoos were also able to tighten up on turnovers through the remainder of the game. Propelled by Johnson’s energy and cleaner play, the UVA offense started to chip away at the double-digit deficit. Johnson was not alone in her efforts; freshman Breona Hurd posted 16 points, and Latasha Lattimore dropped ten.
However, for each step UVA took forward, Georgia Tech answered. In the final quarter, UVA came close to erasing the deficit. Hurd converted a Tech turnover to a three-point jumper, cutting the lead to one possession with 3:26 left to play. After the make, UVA pressured the ball, nearly causing a turnover on the inbound. This play was the peak of Virginia’s growing momentum, and Tech was able to stay composed. Once possession was regained, a driving layup from Tonie Morgan on the break started an 11-0 scoring run from Tech that sealed the Jackets’s victory, 75-62.
In a game that waxed and waned, Tech showed a great deal of grit. There were several moments where momentum shifted in favor of Virginia. In a road environment, it would have been extremely easy to allow that shift to determine the outcome, but that was not the case. Each Tech player contributed in both big and small ways, but it was Carnegie who saw the spotlight tonight. She dropped a career-high of 29 points to lead all scorers OFF THE BENCH. The win is not her’s alone, four Jackets finished with double digits tonight: Morgan, Termis, and Kayla Blackshear. Morgan posted eleven points and eleven assists, carrying her share of responsibility by setting up points. Kayla Blackshear led the Jackets underneath with 10 boards, allowing for much-needed second-chance baskets.
The Jackets are back in the Thrillerdome Sunday at 2:00 pm to face #14 Duke. If I were you, I wouldn’t want to miss it.