Kara Dunn’s clutch scoring eases a close 4th quarter
McCAMISH PAVILION — After a rough loss in Clemson last Thursday, #19 Georgia Tech women’s basketball is back in the win column after beating the Wake Forest Demon Deacons 73-62, moving to 21-5 (9-5 ACC) on the season and get an important ACC win where they are battling to potentially get a #4 seed and a double bye in the ACC Tournament. The win marks head coach Nell Fortner’s 2nd season with 21 wins at Georgia Tech, her first time getting to 21 before tournament season.
After a good first half where Tech had 11 assists on 15 made field goals, Wake Forest bit into Tech’s lead severely in the third quarter, shrinking a nine point deficit to two by the end of the quarter and nearly taking the lead multiple times. They eventually did take the lead in the fourth for a few seconds before stout defense powered Tech to a more comfortable 11 point win at the end.
“I thought Wake Forest came in here and they played very free and very confidently,” said Nell Fortner after the game.
After three quarters, Wake was shooting 54% to Tech’s 39% on 14 fewer shots but critically kept turning the ball over, notably in the fourth quarter where they committed six.
“That part of the game was definitely a gamechanger for us when we did that in the second half. We’re pressing and trapping and turning them over. It gave us some momentum back,” said Fortner. From there, Kara Dunn hit two big threes that expanded Tech’s 4th quarter lead from three to nine, effectively putting away the game.
The starting lineup was a brand new one for Tech this season, removing Chit-Chat Wright and Ari Termis in favor of Ines Noguero and Kayla Blackshear. Noguero had not started since January 12 against Louisville while Blackshear had only started twice all season.
“She was just really beat up and so she’s had some rest now and I think it’s important for veterans to be on the floor in this stretch of the season,” said Fortner.
Ari Termis did come in as the first sub instead of Dani Carnegie around the five minute mark, but Dani was quickly behind her. Even though Carnegie only hit one three on seven attempts, she was productive closer to the basket with five more field goals and 14 points overall on one of her better shooting days since returning from injury.
Kara Dunn finished as the leading scorer with 22 points with four three pointers. Rylie Theuerkauf lit up Tech with 20 points and two threes herself. Wake was without one of their best players in Elise Williams, certainly impacting how this could’ve gone with how close the game was down the stretch.
D’Asia Thomas-Harris came back from injury on Thursday, and again today appeared for only the third time this season and hopefully will be another option in the post for Tech.
How It Happened
1Q
The new starting five quickly took a lead with three Nogeuro steals in 30 seconds for a 6-0 run. Wake kept Tech within reach with a three and a bucket by Malaya Cowles before Kara Dunn sunk a three for a 13-7 lead, prompting Wake Forest’s first timeout with 5:18 left. The lead stayed in the 5-7 range until Chit-Chat Wright hit a three to stretch the lead to 22-13 before Morgan hit a pair of free throws for a +11 quarter for Tech.
Stats via Georgia Tech
2Q (24-13 GT)
The second quarter opened with a three from Kara Dunn and then lulled into a series of fast-break turnovers on both sides. Tiana Thompson and D’Asia Thomas-Harris saw the floor for a couple of plays. Wake was able to capitalize on some scoring opportunities as a scoring drought befell the Jackets. A Kara Dunn bucket finally ended the scoreless minutes. The Deacons outscored Tech in the second 15-13, to lessen the gap going into the break.
Stats via Georgia Tech
3Q (37-28 GT)
Wake landed a blow of five sudden points to start the half, shrinking Tech’s lead to four points before Noguero hit a three to make it 40-33. That did not holf off the Deacons as they went on a 9-0 run (14-2 overall) to go down 40-39 after a Theuerkauf bucket before Carnegie hit a bucket then Morgan had a steal + layup to push the lead back to 45-39 into the 4:56 media timeout. The defense again showed out forcing a shot clock violation on Wake’s next possession, then Carnegie hit a nice turnaround jumper to make it a seven point lead. Demeara Hinds then had a roll of two buckets on mismatches in the paint to make it 46-43 Tech with a minute to go.
The final minute went back and forth with two buckets per team, Wake getting the important one from a Tamia Jones three pointer the buzzer to go down only two to start the fourth quarter.
Stats via Georgia Tech
4Q (50-48 GT)
Dani Carnegie opened the final quarter with a three, but Wake notched two jumpers, taking the lead for the first time. Tech quickly regained the lead, but the game remained within one score through most of the fourth. Wake struggled to maintain possession through the fourth, turning the ball over four times in four minutes. Zoe Smith stretched the Jackets’s lead to two possessions, but a pair of Deacon free throws cut it back to three. Kara Dunn had an answer of her own with back-to-back threes for the white and gold. As the clock fell inside two minutes, lock-down defense from Kayla Blackshear gave Tech possession of the ball, up 67-60 in the final minute. As time expired and the band chanted “Let us leave”, the Deacons sent Carnegie and Dunn to the line, sending Tech up by 11 to win 73-62.
Stats & Game Leaders
Stats via Georgia Tech
Game Leaders
Points: Kara Dunn (GT) – 22
Rebounds: Raegyn Conley (WF)/Kayla Blackshear (GT) – 8
Assists: Tamia Jones (WF) – 7
3PM: Kara Dunn (GT) – 4