WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Francesca Pan scored a team-high 18 points, but it wasn’t enough as Georgia Tech fell to Dayton in the final game of the West Palm Beach Invitational, 85-66.
How It Happened
Georgia Tech built a nine point lead in the first quarter, racing out of the gate with a 14-5 edge on the scoreboard. The Jackets gained their second nine-point advantage following an Elizabeth Dixon bucket with 1:30 on the clock before Dayton closed the frame with a pair of free throws. Dayton outscored the Jackets in the second frame to knot the score at 25-25 with 2:22 left in the half and took their first lead of the contest using a Jenna Giacone three-pointer, forcing Tech to call a timeout with 1:30 to play. Tech closed the frame with an 8-2 spurt fueled by three-pointers from Elizabeth Balogun and Francesca Pan for a 33-30 halftime edge.
The Jackets pushed out to a five point lead early in the third quarter before Dayton took its final lead on a three-point play from Jayla Scaife. The Flyers, who held the Jackets scoreless over the final four minutes of the frame, closed the stanza with a 14-0 run to lead 54-42 entering the final quarter. Dayton continued to build its lead in the fourth quarter.
Tech Tidbits
* Pan led the Jackets offensively with 18 points followed by Balogun with 13 points
* Lorela Cubaj pulled down a team-high nine rebounds to lead Tech
* Dayton won the rebounding battle, 46-41
* Dayton outscored Tech 24-9 in the third quarter to gain momentum
* The Flyers finished 33-for-41 from the free throw line, while the Jackets were held to an 8-for-14 clip
* For the game, Tech shot 38.0 percent (27-71) and Dayton shot 37.9 percent (22-58)
* Tech scored 40 points in the paint to Dayton’s 12 points.
Next Up
Tech breaks for the holidays and returns to the hardwood on Sunday, Dec. 30 hosting Wofford in McCamish Pavilion. Tip is slated for 2 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.
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