CANCUN, MEXICO – Georgia Tech improved to 4-1 on the season after capturing a 70-55 victory over George Washington on Thanksgiving Day to open the Cancun Challenge. Elizabeth Balogun finished with a game-high 19 points to lead the Jackets offensively.
“I was happy we got to play nine people double minutes,” commented head coach MaChelle Joseph. “I thought we got some good play off our bench with 16 points. In particular, I thought Chanin Scott was great on the defensive end with six steals. I really thought this was one of Elizabeth Balogun’s best all-around games, scoring and making plays off steals and deflections. But overall, I thought it was a good team win.”
How It Happened
After a slow start in the first quarter, Georgia Tech gained control in the second stanza, outscoring the Colonials , 27-9, in the frame. George Washington held the lead the majority of the opening period, leading by as many as six points. But Elizabeth Dixon scored the final bucket of the first quarter and used that momentum to post nine points in the second stanza, leading the Jackets with 11 points at the halftime break. After shooting just 28.6 percent (4-14) in the opening frame, Tech used a 66.7 percent (12-18) shooting effort in the second quarter to hold a 38-24 halftime lead.
The Jackets continued to widen their lead in the second half, leading by as many as 25 points with 4:12 left to play in the third quarter. The closest George Washington would come in the final minutes was 15 points, accounting for the final 70-55 score.
Tech Tidbits
* Elizabeth Balogun led offensively with a game-high 19 points followed by 15 points from Francesca Pan
* Dixon finished with 12 points and was three rebounds shy of a double-double, pulling down seven rebounds
* Pan led the Jackets on the glass with eight rebounds as Tech outrebounded GW, 37-31
* Tech outscored GW in the paint, 44-12, and converted 23 Colonial turnovers into 23 points
* Chanin Scott swiped a career-high six steals as Tech finished with 14 on the afternoon
* A total of 11 different Yellow Jackets took the floor in the opening game of the Cancun Challenge
* For the game, Tech shot 43.8 percent (28-64) compared to GW’s 39.1 percent (18-46)
Next Up
The Yellow Jackets conclude play in Cancun on Friday, taking on Idaho State at 6:30 p.m.
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