WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – A back-and-forth battle that came down to a last-second score saw Georgia Tech women’s basketball fall 57-56 Sunday afternoon to Wake Forest in its ACC opener.
The Yellow Jackets (4-8, 0-1 ACC) scored 31 second-half points and held the Demon Deacons (10-2, 1-0 ACC) to zero made shots in its final five attempts – and in the last five minutes of the game – but a pair of free throws in the final five seconds decided the game.
Talayah Walker led the way for Tech with 13 points, followed by 12 from Savannah Samuel. Brianna Turnage recorded a team-best 10 rebounds while Erica Moon set a career-high with eight points in Sunday’s game.
Tech out-rebounded the Deacs 47-32 and allowed just five second-chance points.
FIRST HALF
After winning the opening tip, the Jackets marched right down the court where Samuel drilled a corner three to open the game. Turnage added a tough lay before Wake managed its first points of the day almost three minutes into the game with Tech leading 5-2. A Moon trey moments later pushed it to 8-2. Walker made a jumper, followed by a takeaway and quick basket from Moon that saw Tech get to a 12-5 lead. Wake went on a quick 6-0 run to get within one, 12-11. After a Turnage free throw, Walker sank another three-pointer, extending the lead to 16-11 – a mark that would hold at the end of the quarter.
After less than two minutes of scoreless second-quarter action, Samuel hit a step-back jumper to get Tech ahead by seven, 18-11. Ariadna Termis answered a Wake bucket with a jumper of her own, getting the Jackets to 20, up by seven still. The Deacs made a three, then a block by Turnage turned into a make from Walker, now 22-16. The home team scored again to get within four, 22-18, at the 4:28 media timeout. Samuel made another trey, answering one from the Demon Deacons, now 25-21 with under four left. Wake managed to get four points in the final minutes to even the game at 25 apiece going into the break.
SECOND HALF
Wake made a jumper for its first lead of the game to open the third, 27-25. The Demon Deacons got out to a 30-25 advantage but five-straight Tech points – highlighted by a triple from Moon – evened the game again at 30. Wake then made back-to-back treys to get ahead by six. D’Asia Thomas-Harris sank a couple of free throws then an inside jumper to even the game at 36 with under five left on the clock, adding to a 6-0 run. The Deacs made a bucket coming out of the media timeout, then La’Nya Foster made a triple on the next possession to put Tech back in front, 39-38. Thomas-Harris made another two, followed by two free throws from Foster, giving Tech a 43-38 lead. Wake then added four quick points to get back within one, with the Yellow Jackets leading 43-42 going into the fourth.
A three-point play saw Wake Forest take the lead in the first minute of the fourth, 45-42. Catherine Alben made a jumper on the next possession to tie the game at 45. The Demon Deacons got out to a 53-47 lead going into the 4:55 media timeout. A second-chance bucket from Walker got the Jackets back within four, 53-49, with four minutes left. Samuel went inside for a layup moments later to slice it to two, 53-51. Wake added another score then one free throw from Jada Crawshaw and a tough second-chance bucket from Samuel got the Yellow Jackets within one, 55-54, with just over a minute left. A defensive takeaway gave Tech the ball with less than a minute left. Walker drove into the paint and sank a difficult shot to give Georgia Tech a 56-55 lead with 0:47 on the clock. The home team made two free throws to take the lead, 57-56, with 0:04.6 left held on for the win.
GAME NOTES
- Tech held Wake Forest to one make in its last eight shots in the first quarter and 0-for its last five.
- In the third quarter, Tech went on a 13-2 run lasting almost five minutes to retake the lead.
- Tech’s opening frame Sunday was its first all season with zero bench points.
UP NEXT
The Yellow Jackets conclude their three-game road trip with an ACC clash against NC State on Thursday, Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.
Georgia Tech returns to McCamish Pavilion Sunday, Dec. 28 at 12 p.m. for a clash with Wofford on the ACC Network. Fans can purchase tickets here.
PURCHASE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TICKETS
Season tickets for the 2025-26 Georgia Tech women’s basketball season remain on sale. Season tickets begin at just $50 for general admission and $65 for reserved seats. Fans won’t want to miss any of the action in McCamish Pavilion this upcoming season, which features a challenging nine-game Atlantic Coast Conference schedule in addition to a competitive non-conference slate. To purchase tickets, or for more information, please visit RamblinWreck.com.
Single-game tickets also remain on sale, as well as a Mini Plan for patrons wishing to attend multiple games this season. A Mini Plan includes tickets to four games, anchored by Tech’s marquee matchup against Notre Dame on Jan. 1 plus the choice of three additional Atlantic Coast Conference games.
Group tickets are also on sale now. For groups interested in purchasing tickets to a Georgia Tech athletics event, please fill out this form linked.
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.
For the latest information on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, follow us on X (@GTWBB), Instagram (GTWBB), Facebook (Georgia Tech Women’s Basketball) or visit us at www.ramblinwreck.com.
