@GTWBB Travels to St. Francis Brooklyn

Dec. 19, 2014

THE FLATS – The Georgia Tech women’s basketball team (7-4) heads north to face St. Francis Brooklyn (3-7) on Saturday, Dec. 20 at noon. 

#5THINGS
– Senior Sydney Wallace is 23 points away from becoming the 27th Jacket too score 1,000 points.
– Dating back to the 2012-13 season, Tech has won 16 out of its 19 home non-conference games. Tech’s loss to Georgia was its first nonconference home loss since Dec. 2, 2012 against UGA.
– Sophomore Kaela Davis set a new career-high, scoring 33 points against Alabama State. It was her second-career 30+ point game.
– Head coach MaChelle Joseph has a career record of 220-138, putting her just four wins away from becoming GT’s all-time winningest coach. She was named to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.
– This will be the third meeting vs. St. Francis for Tech. The Jackets lead the series, 2-0. 

a win would…
– Be the third-straight against St. Francis.
– Be the 221st win of Coach Joseph’s career, putting her three wins shy of becoming the all-time winningest coach in Georgia Tech history
– Give Georgia Tech its 596th program win, putting it four wins away from reaching the 600 win milestone
– Be the 14th overall win against a team from the NEC, putting Tech’s record at 14-0 against teams from the NEC. 

Tech tidbits
– Tech’s four losses to teams receiving votes or ranked in top 25 polls
– In five wins, averaged 28.0 margin of victory
– Kaela Davis, Aaliyah Whiteside, Zaire O’Neil and Sydney Wallace are all averaging double-figures.
– The Jackets have won the rebounding battle in eight of their 11 games.
– The Jackets are averaging 84.8 points per game when playing at home this season.
– Dating back to the 2012-13 season, Tech has won 16 out of its 19 home non-conference games. Tech’s loss to Georgia was its first nonconference home loss since Dec. 2, 2012 against UGA.
– Tech only committed seven fouls against Central Arkansas, which ties for the third-least amont of fouls committed in a game in Georgia Tech history. They only sent UCA to the foul line once the entire game. 

by the numbers
An inside look at the statistical differences in the Yellow Jackets’ wins and losses:
– In wins, Tech is averaging 86.7 ppg. In losses, the Jackets have averaged 62.2 ppg.
– In wins, Tech allows only 58.7 ppg. In losses, opponents have tallied 71.5 ppg.
– In wins, opponents are shooting only 36.5 percent from the field. In losses, opponents are shooting at 46.4 percent.
– In wins, Tech is out-rebounding opponents by 18.6 boards per game. In losses, Tech is out-rebounded by opponents by 4.7 rebounds per game.
– In wins, Tech is averaging 20 free throw attempts per game. In losses, the Jackets are only getting 15 attempts from the stripe.
– In wins, Davis is averaging 21.0 ppg and Wallace is averaging 12.7 ppg. Davis averages 17.0 ppg and Wallace averages 14.3 ppg in losses.

kd has a career-day
Sophomore Kaela Davis netted a career-high 33 points, including six 3-pointers, against Alabama State. It was Davis’ second career 30+ point game. Her first was against Clemson on January 30, 2014 when she scored 31 points for her previous career-high. 

going hard in the paint
The Yellow Jackets are averaging 30.7 points per game in the paint, which is 40 percent of their overal points average (77.8). Tech outscored Central Akransas, 54-12, in the paint. The Jackets have a defensive rebound percentage of 71.0 percent )7th in the ACC) and and offensive rebound percentage of 43.7 percent (3rd in the ACC). 

joseph part of indiana basketball hof
The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame announced that coach Joseph will be a part of the 10-person Women’s Class of 2015. Joseph, a native of Auburn, Indiana, played at DeKalb High School and at Purdue University. As a senior at DeKalb, joseph averaged a state-best 35.1 ppg. She was named both a Parade Magazine and Street & Smith All-American in 1988 and honored on the 1988 Indiana All-Star team.

A four-year starter for the Boilermakers from 1989-1992, Joseph is one of the most decorated players in Purdue and Big Ten Conference history as she garnered numerous conference and national accolades. After earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors as well as second-team all-conference accolades in 1989, Joseph was a first-team all-Big Ten selection in 1990, 1991 and 1992 and was named the Big Ten Player of the Year as a senior. She also earned Kodak All-America honors in 1992, when she was tabbed the Women’s Basketball News’ College Player of the Year.

Joseph graduated from Purdue as the all-time leading scorer in school (men or women) and Big Ten Conference history (2,405 points) and was the only player in conference history to rank in the top-10 in both points and assists.

welcome to the big leagues
Freshman Zaire O’Neil had a career day against Central Arkansas, leading the team in both points and rebounds with her first career double-double. O’Neil scored a career-high 24 points and grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds while handing out three assists and grabbing two steals. O’Neil is averaging 11.2 points per game, which is third on the Jackets, and 4.3 rebounds per game. 

davis on Wooden & Naismith watch lists
Sophomore Kaela Davis was named to the John R. Wooden Preseason Top 30 watch list. Davis is one of six ACC student-athletes on the list for one of the nation’s most prestigious college basketball awards. She is also one of six sophomores that were recognized. The list is chosen by a preseason poll of national college women’s basketball media members.

Davis has also been named to the Naismith Trophy Women’s Top 50 Watch List for the second year in a row. Davis is one of 12 sophomores on the list and one of 10 ACC players honored. The 50 player watch list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors, which based its criteria on player performances from the previous year and expectations for the 2014-15 college basketball season.

free basketball
Georgia Tech played in its first overtime game at #16/16 Michigan State on Dec. 4 since falling to Clemson on Jan. 30, 2014, 80-79 in OT. Overall, the Yellow Jackets are 18-22 when playing in OT. Under Joseph, Tech has a 4-10 record in overtime. When playing more than one overtime period, the Jackets are 2-5. 

davis’ 20+ games
So far this season, sophomore Kaela Davis has scored at least 20 points in six of 11 games. Davis is third in the ACC among active players with six 20 point games this season. She has 20 career 20 point games and the Jackets are 14-6 when Davis scores at least 20 points. 

NEXT UP
The Jackets return to the Flats to host the Georgia Tech Holiday Tournament, featuring Harvard, LA Tech and Lipscomb on Dec. 29 and 30^th. Tech faces Lipscomb at 4 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 29^th.