Dec. 23, 2010
SEATTLE – Senior Alex Montgomery was playing in front of a large contingency of family and friends in Thursday night’s game at Washington. And she certainly didn’t disappoint as Georgia Tech improved to 9-4 and won its sixth straight game, 60-27, over the Washington Huskies in Seattle.
Montgomery, from nearby Tacoma, Wash., converted a three just five seconds into the game and finished with game-highs of 20 points and eight rebounds as Tech rolled to the win. Freshman Tyaunna Marshall bounced back from a rough shooting night in the Jackets last outing against Portland State to finish with 14 points, in addition to pulling down seven rebounds.
“I thought we came out very aggressive,” head coach MaChelle Joseph said. “I thought Washington did a great job in the first half taking us out of some of the things we like to do. I felt like in the second half we settled down on the offensive end and we were able to get some offense from our defense. Alex Montgomery was huge as she always is and has been in her entire career at Georgia Tech. It’s a lot of pressure to come home in front of your friends and family to put on the type of performance she had tonight, but that tells you they type of player she is and the toughness she has.
“Alex usually rises to the occasion,” Joseph added. In my four years coaching Alex, she is probably the most competitive player I’ve coached and people I’ve been around. When it’s an important game, she steps up and really carries our team. “
The Jacket defense was equally impressive, limiting the Huskies to only nine second half points. Washington went without a field goal from the 15:54 point of the second frame until just 36 seconds left, a span of 15:18. Over that span, Tech went on a 26-5 run to salt the game away.
“Just coming out and showing my family and friends a good game, showing them what I’m capable of,” Montgomery said. “Coach told me she was running plays for me, so I just shot it and it was going in.”
Montgomery began the second half in similar fashion as the first, hitting a three. Her third triple of the night came at the 17:50 mark and in front of the Georgia Tech bench and cheering section, sending the latter into a frenzied cheer, and forcing a Washington timeout.
Montgomery, playing in front of a large contingency of hometown family and friends, started the game with a bang. She made a three just five seconds in and had Tech’s first seven points and nine of its opening 10. She was perfect on all five of her first half shots, including a pair of threes.
Marshall who had an off shooting night against Portland State in the last outing, converting on just three of her 10 field goal attempts, found her stroke early on against the Huskies, making four of her eight first half attempts as she was in double digits by the break.
The Yellow Jacket defense was up to its usual stifling standards, holding the Huskies without a field goal for 6:57 midway through the first half, but the Tech offense was only able to extend its lead to 15-9. The Jackets struggled offensively through most of the first half, but a flurry of baskets in the final four and a half minutes, pushed Tech’s first half shooting percentage to 42.9.
Tech will now return to Atlanta to begin a four game homestand that will begin with the Mercer Bears at 7 p.m. on Dec. 28. The Jackets’ games on the 28th, 30th and 2nd are all designated as kids day where kids under 12 will be admitted free. Fans can listen live at WREK.org, follow live stats through RamblinWreck.com or on Twitter @GTWBB. For more information or to buy tickets, please visit RamblinWreck.com.
–RamblinWreck.com–
