Feb. 1, 2009
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ATLANTA – If it wasn’t artistic, it was historic. Overcoming an ice-cold start and 26 turnovers, the Georgia Tech women’s basketball team defeated Clemson 49-41 Sunday at Alexander Memorial Coliseum to give head coach MaChelle Joseph her 100th career victory.
For the Yellow Jackets (16-5, 4-3 in the ACC), their sixth consecutive win over Clemson (12-11, 2-7) gives Joseph a 100-71 record in her five-plus seasons on The Flats. Afterward, Tech interim president Dr. Gary Schuster presented the coach a ball commemorating her achievement.
“You were a huge factor in our big win over North Carolina and today over Clemson,” Joseph told the Alexander crowd. “I just want to thank my players and the former players.” About two dozen ex-Jackets were in attendance for Alumni Recognition Day.
Coming off Thursday’s 68-42 rout of Miami, Tech misfired from the start. The Jackets were scoreless for the first 6:23 until sophomore Alex Montgomery (nine points) hit two free throws. They missed their first nine shots from the field before Montgomery’s three-point play cut Clemson’s lead to 7-5.
With the Tigers up 13-9, Tech took control with a 9-0 run in which senior Brigitte Ardossi scored six of her 10 points. The Jackets led 20-16 at halftime, by as many as 10 points in the second half, and pressured Clemson defensively throughout. Clemson committed 29 turnovers, 19 in the second half, and shot just 32 per cent (16-for-50) for the game.
Sasha Goodlett, Tech’s 6-foot-5 freshman center, had 11 points, five rebounds and three blocks. Senior guard Jacqua Williams was also in double figures with 12 points and four of the Yellow Jackets’ 20 steals.
“Sasha got a few big offensive putbacks and Jacqua came out of the locker room in the second half and really played like the way Jacqua plays,” Joseph said. “I feel that when Jacqua is playing the way she did on the defensive end good things happen for us.”
After its 0-for-9 shooting start, Tech finished at 40 per cent from the floor (16-for-40), despite going just 1-for-8 from the 3-point arc. With Montgomery’s 3-pointer midway through the second half, Tech has now hit at least one trey in all 21 games this season.
Georgia Tech’s next game is Tuesday night at Wake Forest at the Lawrence Joel Coliseum at 7 p.m., before returning home next Sunday against N.C. State.
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