ATLANTA (Dec. 13) – Georgia Tech’s women’s basketball goes on the road for the first time this season as the Jackets head north to take on Monmouth at 3 p.m. Sunday and St. Francis (N.Y.) at 5 p.m. Tuesday after a 10-day layoff for final exams.
Technically, Tech’s two-game swing won’t be the Jackets’ first game away from home, but it will be the Jackets’ first road trip. Tech (5-2 overall, 1-1 ACC) opened the season at crosstown rival Georgia State on Nov. 23 then played six straight games at home.
“I’m really looking forward to going on the road for the first time, and I’m anxious to see how our young players adjust,” said Tech head coach Agnus Berenato. “I think this will be a good introduction to playing on the road for our younger kids.”
Both games will be homecomings of sorts for three current Tech players — junior Candice McCallum (Barnegat, N.J.), sophomore Niesha Butler (New York, N.Y.) and freshman Sonja Mallory (Bronx, N.Y.).
“This is a great trip to get Candice back home to New Jersey, and I’m happy to be taking Niesha and Sonja to New York,” Berenato said.
The Jackets are coming off a 71-56 loss to No. 25 Mississippi State, and defense will be the focus for the Jackets in the practices leading up to Tech’s road swing.
“After watching the film against Mississippi State, we had a lot of mental errors and made a lot of poor decisions,” Berenato said. “We did not do well on our transition defense or against their dribble penetration. They are things we are working on.
“Out of all the games we’ve had so far, the Mississippi State will be our No. 1 teaching tool that we will refer to.”
SERIES RECORDS
Georgia Tech is 1-0 all-time against Monmouth. The Yellow Jackets won the only other meeting between the two schools, 76-70, on Dec. 28, 1997.
Georgia Tech is also 1-0 all-time against St. Francis (N.Y.), with the two teams meeting last season. Tech defeated the Terriers, 90-45, on Dec. 29, 1998.
TECH HITS CENTURY MARK
Georgia Tech hit the century mark with an 103-65 win against Charleston Southern on Tuesday, Dec. 7.
The game was the 21st 100-point performance for a Georgia Tech team in school history and the Jackets first since scoring 100 against Lafayette last season.
McCALLUM MORE PRODUCTIVE
Through Georgia Tech’s first seven games, starting junior center Candice McCallum (Barnegat, N.J.) has doubled her scoring average from her first two years at Tech.
McCallum is averaging just under 11 points per game at 10.9 which is 6.8 more points per game than her average of 4.1 in her first two seasons.
MILLI MATCHES CAREER HIGH
Georgia Tech sophomore Milli Martinez (Imlay City, Mich.) matched her career-high with 17 points in the Yellow Jackets 103-65 win against Charleston Southern on Tuesday, Dec. 7. Martinez also had 5 points and four rebounds against the Lady Buccaneers.
Two nights later, Martinez led the Jackets in scoring and rebounding against the 25th-ranked Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs. Against Mississippi State, Martinez had 12 points and nine boards.
Martinez has started Tech’s last three games since the Yellow Jackets lost sophomore Niesha Butler (New York, N.Y.) to a season-ending knee injury.
QUICK STARTING JACKETS
Georgia Tech has opened the 1999-2000 season 5-2 thanks in large part to strong first-half starts by the Jackets in their first seven games.
Through Tech’s first seven contests, the Jackets have outscored teams 297-212 overall in the first half. The Jackets are averaging 12 more points than their opponents in the first 20 minutes as Tech is averaging 42.4 points per game in the first half compared to 30.3 by its opponents.
Tech has also held two of its first seven foes to under 20 points in the first half. Georgia State and Elon both scored just 19 points against the Jackets in the first 20 minutes.
DONEHEW NEARING RECORD
Georgia Tech senior Danielle Donehew (Canton, Ga.) needs 19 more three-pointers to become the Yellow Jackets’ all-time leader for three-pointers made. Karen Lounsbury is Tech’s all-time leader in threes made with 205. Donehew currently has 187.
Donehew also ranks third on the Jackets career list for most treys attempted with 494 and fourth in best career three-point percentage at 37.9 percent.
Following is a look at where Donehew currently ranks on Georgia Tech’s career three-point shooting charts.
Most three-pointers madeCareer: 205, Karen Lounsbury (1989-92) 187, Danielle Donehew (1996-Pres.) 169, Carla Munnion (1995-98) 101, Selena Baldwin (1990-93) 79, Christie Finney (1991-95)Most three-pointers attemptedCareer: 550, Karen Lounsbury (1989-92) 540, Carla Munnion (1995-98) 494, Danielle Donehew (1996-) 275, Selena Baldwin (1990-93) 251, Christie Finney (1991-95)Best three-point percentageCareer: .458 (49-107) Marielle Walker (1987-88) .397 (69-174) Devony Caldwell (1990-93) .393 (33-84) Ida Neal (1986-89) .379 (187-494) Danielle Donehew (1996-) .373 (205-550) Karen Lounsbury (1989-92) .367 (101-275) Selena Baldwin (1990-93)
STILL Y2K NCAA
Despite losing sophomore guard and leading scorer Niesha Butler (New York, N.Y.), Georgia Tech’s goal of qualifying for the NCAA Tournament remains unchanged.
“Losing Niesha Butler is devastating, but our goal of making the NCAA Tournament will not change,” said Tech head coach Agnus Berenato. “That’s why I coach a team sport. One individual doesn’t make the team, it just gives someone else to step up and make something happen. As one of our co-captains, Niesha still has a tremendous responsibility to the team to be a leader and help see our goal fulfilled.”
