Dec. 29, 2006
Atlanta – Georgia Tech downs Alcorn State Friday, 76-54, at the Alexander Memorial Coliseum, as four Jackets score in double figures in the first game of the ninth annual Atlanta Marriott NW Holiday Invitational.
Though the Jackets collected their seventh 20-point win Friday, Stephanie Higgs was the big story as she earned her 1000th career point when she drove through the paint for a lay up and foul with ten minutes to play in the first half. Tech. head coach MaChelle Joseph called a timeout immediately following Higgs’ field goal to commemorate the scoring milestone. Higgs was joined on the court by her parents, Roy and Betty Higgs, and Georgia Tech’s Senior Women’s Administrator Theresa Wenzel for a special ball presentation. The Tech faithful cheered the Lawrenceville, Ga. Native, after which she went to the line to hit her free throw shot. Higgs is only the 20th Yellow Jacket to score 1000 points in her career, and the last player to reach a grand was Fallon Stokes who accomplished the feat during the 2003-04 season.
Higgs finished Friday with a team high 19 points and is currently third in ACC in scoring averaging 17.8 PPG. She also led with four assists, and had four rebounds and two blocks.
Tech jumped out to an early lead and never let up, seeing tough post play from junior forward Daphne Mitchell. The Atlanta, Ga. native made three consecutive scores early, one of which came after three offensive rebounds by Mitchell on one possession. The six-foot-three forward earned the first double-double of her career by the end of the first half Friday, pulling down 10 rebounds and scoring 10. Mitchell is only the second Jacket to have a double-double this season. Fellow junior Janie Mitchell has two double-double to her credit this season. Though Mitchell finished with those same halftime numbers, her 10 rebounds where not only a team high Friday, but ties her career best, and her 10 first-half points tied Higgs for the team high at the break.
Chioma Nnamaka was second on the team in scoring with 16 points, nailing two of four from distance, improving her three-point field goal percentage to .447. Nnamaka also contributed on defense coming away with two steals and three defensive rebounds.
The Jackets return to the court Saturday at 3 p.m. for the tournament championship to face Mississippi State (7-5) who defeated Tennessee State, 71-45, in the second game of the day. Mississippi State leads the all-time series with Georgia Tech 3-and-0, last defeating the Jackets, 77-73, on Feb. 15, 2001.Saturday’s game will be the first of two games against an SEC opponent this regular season. Fans can watch a live web broadcast of the game with Mississippi State at ACCSelect.com.
