SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Behind a career-high 21 points from Nerea Hermosa, No. 18 Georgia Tech women’s basketball picked up a 65-55 road win at Syracuse Thursday night. Four Yellow Jackets finished in double-figure scoring numbers, including a double-double from Eylia Love.
The Jackets (14-4, 5-2 ACC) led by as many as 16 points in the first half as Hermosa paced all scorers with 13 points at intermission. After the game opened with an administrative technical foul, Georgia Tech raced out with an 11-2 spurt and led 21-15 after the first quarter. Syracuse put together a 7-0 run midway through the second frame to come within nine points, but Lorela Cubaj and Lotta-Maj Lahtinen combined to return a double-digit lead to the Jackets.
Syracuse limited Tech from the floor in the third and outscored the Jackets 14-8 through eight minutes to close the gap to five points, 43-38. But Love hit the jumper and Lahtinen drained a wide-open three-pointer to push Tech back out by 10, 48-38. The Jackets would lead by six points entering the final quarter and would finish strong, shooting 46.2 percent from the floor and 66.7 percent from the free throw line in the period to hold for the road win, 65-55.
Hermosa finished with a game-high 21 points, followed by Cubaj with 14 points and Lahtinen with 11. Love recorded her first career double-double behind a game-high 13 rebounds and 10 points. The Jackets dominated on the glass, winning the battle, 48-27, as Digna Strautmane nearly missed a double-double with 10 rebounds and nine points. Tech finished with 13 assists fueled by six helpers from Lahtinen.
Syracuse was led offensively by Teisha Hyman with 18 points, while Alaysia Styles and Chrislyn Carr each added 12 points.
The Jackets shot 46.0 percent (23-50) from the field and finished at 77.3 percent (17-22) at the charity stripe. Syracuse was limited to a 32.8 percent (22-67) shooting clip and a 7-for-8 showing at the free throw line.
After a two-game road swing, Georgia Tech returns home to welcome North Carolina to McCamish Pavilion on Sunday, Jan. 23. Tip is slated for noon on ACC Network.
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
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