ATLANTA (Jan. 17) — Georgia Tech’s women’s basketball team takes a break from its conference slate to renew its rivalry with seventh-ranked Georgia at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Cobb County Civic Center in Marietta, Ga.
“I don’t know that it’s much of a rivalry because we have never beaten them,” said Georgia Tech head coach Agnus Berenato. “This is an opportunity to play a top-10 team. Hopefully, we will have a good crowd and it will be a great game.”
The Georgia game is the second straight between the two schools at the Cobb County Civic Center. Last year’s game was the first meeting between the two schools since 1994 and it drew a sellout crowd.
Following its meeting with Georgia, Tech travels to College Park Sunday for a 12:30 p.m. game with the Terrapins.
Both Tech games will be televised. The game with Georgia can be seen locally in Atlanta on Media One TV 33, and the Maryland game will be televised on the Atlantic Coast Conference Regional Sports Networks, including FOX Sports Net South in Atlanta.
One goal for Berenato and the Jackets (10-6 overall, 3-4 ACC) this week will be to get a complete game from both its guards and post players.
In the Jackets’ 55-44 upset of No. 15 North Carolina last week, Tech’s guards scored 42 of the team’s 55 points, with senior Danielle Donehew (Canton, Ga.) leading the way with a season-high 22 points on six three-pointers.
In Tech’s 93-64 loss at Florida State, 41 of the Jackets’ 64 points came from post players. Junior Regina Tate (Columbus, Ga.) led the Jackets with a team-high 16. Junior Jaime Kruppa (Lithonia, Ga.) had 15 points and nine rebounds, and junior Candice McCallum (Barnegat, N.J.) finished with 10.
“We have to work on getting our guards and post players on the same page,” Berenato said. “Hopefully, we can get a total game out of everybody, because that’s how we’re going to have to beat teams. We’ve felt that if we could put it all together we could be a good team.”
One bright spot for the Jackets in the loss to the Seminoles was the emergence of Tate, whose 16 points matched her season high. She finished 8-of-12 from the floor, had four rebounds and two steals.
“I’m really happy that Regina broke through and had a big game,” Berenato said. “We need to have her scoring some points and contributing offensively. We know she is one of our best defenders, but she hasn’t put it together offensively on a consistent basis. Maybe this will be the start.”
The Jackets are in the midst of four straight games away from home. Following its games with Georgia and Maryland, Tech plays at Clemson on Monday, Jan. 31 before returning home to face Virginia on Thursday, Feb. 3.
SERIES VS. GEORGIA
Georgia Tech and Georgia will be meeting for the 22nd time in the series dating back to the 1974-75 season. Georgia leads the all-time series with Georgia Tech 21-0. This year’s meeting is the second straight game at the Cobb County Civic Center in Marietta since the rivalry was renewed last season.
In last year’s game, Tech fell to the Final Four-bound Lady Bulldogs, 88-82. The six-point margin of victory was the second-closest for Georgia on the year.
SERIES VS. MARYLAND
Georgia Tech and Maryland meet for the 41st time in the series which dates back to Nov. 27, 1979. Maryland owns a 31-9 edge in the series and have won four of the last five meetings.
Tech and Maryland split their two regular-season meetings last year with each team winning on its home court. Tech took the first meeting, 72-56, in Atlanta, and the Terrapins won the rematch, 92-79, in College Park.
DONEHEW BREAKS TECH 3-POINT ATTEMPT RECORD
One week after breaking Georgia Tech’s school record for career three-pointes made, senior Danielle Donehew established a new school record for three-pointers attempted in a career.
Donehew broke Karen Lounsbury’s previous career mark of 550 three-point attempts in the Yellow Jackets’ 55-44 upset win against 15th-ranked North Carolina last Thursday. For her career, Donehew now has 555 career three-point attempts.
Donehew set the Tech career mark for three-pointers made in the Yellow Jackets’ 73-62 win at Wake Forest on Jan. 6.
BUTLER UNDERGOES SUCCESSFUL SURGERY
Sophomore Niesha Butler (New York, N.Y.) has undergone successful surgery to repair the torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee suffered in the early minutes of Georgia Tech’s game with NC State Nov. 30.
The surgery was performed by Dr. Drew Miller, one of Tech’s team physicians, last Wednesday, Jan. 13 at the Resurgens Surgical Center in Atlanta.
Tech’s medical staff expects a full and complete recovery following six to nine months of rehabilitation.
TECH-GEORGIA GAME ADDED TO TV SLATE
Georgia Tech’s game with Georgia, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20 at the Cobb County Civic Center, will be televised live on Media One TV 33 in conjunction with the Georgia Tech/ISP Sports Network.
The addition brings the total number of televised games for the Jackets this season to seven.
Tech’s next five games, beginning with the Georgia game will be televised. The game between the Jackets and Terrapins is part of the 1999-2000 ACC women’s basketball television package and can be seen in Atlanta on FOX Sports Net South.
Following Georgia and Maryland, the Jackets’ game at Clemson on Jan. 31 will be televised as part of the ACC package as will Tech’s home game with Wake Forest on Feb. 6. The Jackets home tilt with Virginia can also be seen on FOX Sports Net South in conjunction with Georgia Tech and ISP.
TECH'S 1999-2000 TELEVISION GAMESDate Opponent Network TimeDec. 9 Mississippi State FSNS L, 56-71Jan. 16 at Florida State RSN L, 64-93Jan. 20 vs. Georgia Media One 7:30 p.m.Jan. 23 at Maryland RSN 12:30 p.m.Jan. 31 at Clemson RSN 7:30 p.m.Feb. 3 vs. Virginia FSNS 7 p.m.Feb. 6 vs. Wake Forest RSN 12:30 p.m.RSN=ACC Regional Sports NetworksFSNS=FOX Sports Net South
