JOE MACENKA
AP Sports Writer
| Georgia Tech’s Nina Barlin, left, and Duke’s Krista Gingrich battle for for ball during the second half Sunday, March 5, 2000 during the ACC Women’s Basketball Tounament at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C. Duke defeated Georgia Tech 77-56.(AP Photo/Gerry Broome) |
GREENSBORO, N.C. (Mar. 5) – Duke’s Missy West scored a game-high 18 points, and Lauren Rice had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds to lead the second-seeded Blue Devils to a 77-56 win over sixth-seeded Georgia Tech Sunday in the semifinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum.
Michele Matyasovsky added 12 for Duke (25-5), who advanced to Monday night’s championships game where the Blue Devils will meet fifth-seeded North Carolina.
Junior Candice McCallum led the Yellow Jackets (15-13) with 12 points, and freshman Amy Lingenfelder added 10.
The Blue Devils shot 53.6 percent (30-of-56) from the floor for the game, while the Jackets shot just 34.8 percent (23-of-66). Duke also limited Tech’s fast break opportunities which were instrumental in the Jackets’ quarterfinal win against NC State Saturday. The Jackets had just six fast break points, while Duke had 17.
Duke closed the first half on a 14-2 run to take a 42-21 lead at halftime. A pair of Rice free throws put the Devils up 23 with 19:25 to play before Tech used an 8-0 spurt to cut the lead to 15 at 44-29 with 15:54 left. The Jackets, however, would get no closer the rest of the way.
West scored 13 of her 18 points in the final 15:00 minutes for the Blue Devils. She finished 7-of-11 from the floor and was 4-of-6 from three-point range.
