Nov. 25, 2014
FLATS – The Georgia Tech women’s basketball team (4-1) closed out a four-game homestand by defeating Grambling State (2-4), 97-64, on Tuesday night at McCamish Pavilion.
The Yellow Jackets won the second-ever meeting between the two schools while recording their third wire-to-wire win of the season. The Yellow Jackets scored 50 points in the paint compared to the Tigers’ 22, and outrebounded their opponents, 45-18. The Jackets pulled down more offensive boards, 24, than Grambling State’s total rebounds, 18. Tech is now 4-0 when outrebounding their opponents.
Tech went shot 62.5 percent from the 3-point line, making 10 of their 16 shots from 3-point range. Five different Yellow Jackets made at least one 3-point basket against Grambling State.
During every win this season, one Jacket has recorded a double-double with junior Roddreka Rogers achieving the feat in three of Tech’s four wins. Rogers notched her eighth double-double of her career in the first half, scoring 10 points and pulling down 10 rebounds in the first 20 minutes of play. Rogers finished with 10 points and a team-high 15 rebounds. She also tied her career-high five assists.
Rogers is just one of three ACC players that have three double-doubles this season. Her eight career double-doubles rank seventh among all active ACC players.
“I think Roddreka Rogers has been our most consistent player along with Kaela Davis,” head coach MaChelle Joseph said. “Night in and night out, they have shown up. They get the job done. They play their role.”
Sophomore Kaela Davis, who has now scored in double-figures in 17 straight games dating back to last season, led the Jackets in scoring for the fifth time this season. The sophomore totaled 20 points, her second-straight game and third time this season scoring at least 20 points. Senior Sydney Wallace hit double figures for the fourth time this season and 41st in her career, scoring 18 points and handing out three assists.
Freshman Zaire O’Neil recorded her fourth double-digit game this season, scoring 13 points and grabbing four rebounds. She also had four assists and two steals. Junior Aaliyah Whiteside scored 11 points and had four rebounds.
The Yellow Jackets’ defense held Grambling State to just four points in the first 5:23 of the game while going on a 16-4 run to open up the contest. Davis hit her first three shot attempts, including two from behind the arc, to lead the Jackets during the run.
The Tigers closed the gap to 10 points, 31-21, after back-to-back 3-point baskets, but the Jackets went on to outscore Grambling State, 8-2 over the next two and a half minutes to go up, 40-23. Tech held Grambling State to two of nine field goals and forced six turnovers in the final two minutes of the first half to take a 47-26 lead at halftime.
Tech came out of halftime scoring six-straight points, led by Wallace who scored two straight baskets out of the break. The two teams traded baskets between the 17:09 mark and 13:46 before Wallace took matters into her own hands, scoring nine of the Jackets’ 14 points over 3:35 to push Tech ahead, 75-43, with 10:11 remaining.
Tech would utilize an 8-0 run with 3:13 on the clock to take its largest lead of 41 points, at 95-54. The Jackets would tack on two points to close out the game and win by a score of 97-64.
The Yellow Jackets hit the road, traveling to play three games in the Gulf Coast Showcase in Naples, Fla. starting on Friday against Green Bay at noon. The tournament field includes Arizona State, College of Charleston, UConn, Minnesota, Vanderbilt, Green Bay and Villanova. Tech will then head north to East Lansing, Mich., to face Michigan State in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
“We are really excited to have the opportunity to play Green Bay,” Joseph said. “This is a tremendous tournament for us and it will be a great test. We are looking forward to it.”
The Jackets return home on Dec. 14 to face Central Arkansas at 4 p.m.
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–TogetherWeSwarm–
