THE FLATS – No. 16 Georgia Tech battled back from a 10-point deficit going into the fourth quarter to force overtime, but No. 19 Notre Dame edged the Yellow Jackets in the extra period to escape with a 72-66 win on Thursday night at McCamish Pavilion.
Notre Dame (20-6, 11-4 ACC) used a 22-6 run spanning the first and second quarters to take a commanding 30-14 lead late in the second period. Georgia Tech (19-7, 10-5 ACC) trailed 49-39 after three quarters but pulled even for the first time since it was 8-8 on a spectacular drive and layup by Lotta-Maj Lahtinen that knotted the score at 61-61 with 18 seconds to go. On the Fighting Irish’s ensuing possession, Lahtinen stole the ball from Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles with one second left to send the game to overtime (the Yellow Jackets’ second-straight overtime affair).
Unfortunately for the loud, Tech-partisan crowd of 3,099 (the Yellow Jackets’ second-largest home crowd of the season), Notre Dame scored the first two baskets of the extra period and led the rest of the way.
Lahtinen scored a game-high 24 points and played 45 minutes for the second-straight game. Sarah Bates scored 12 on 4-of-8 shooting from 3-point range and Lorela Cubaj notched a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 15 rebounds to round out three double-digit scorers for the Jackets.
Miles scored 18 points to lead five scorers in double-figures for Notre Dame. Sonia Citron, Maya Dodson and Maddy Westbeld had 11, 11 and 10 rebounds, respectively for the Irish, who outrebounded Tech, 49-35. ND had 12 second-chance points to five for the Jackets, which accounted for the six-point final margin.
Looking to end a skid of three losses in its last four games, Georgia Tech returns to action on Sunday when it hosts Miami (Fla.) for an Atlantic Coast Conference matchup. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. at McCamish Pavilion.
Head coach Nell Fortner meets with media postgame
Lotta-Maj Lahtinen meets with media postgame
