THE FLATS – It all came down to the final quarter between two of the top defensive teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference, but No. 18 Georgia Tech fell just short of a victory, falling to No. 14 Duke, 55-50, Sunday afternoon in McCamish Pavilion. Kara Dunn surpassed the 1,000-career points mark, becoming the 36th player, and second this season, in program history to join the elite club.
Trailing by four out of the halftime break, Dunn immediately knotted the game with back-to-back buckets before Zoesha Smith returned the brief lead to the Jackets in the next possession as Tech opened the frame with a 6-0 run. Neither team led by more than four points in the third period before Smith closed the stanza with back-to-back buckets to knot the game at 45-all entering the final period. Kayla Blackshear hit a layup to open the fourth quarter, but it would be Tech’s final lead of the game as Duke outscored the Jackets 10-5 in the final 10 minutes. Tech was held to two field goals in the period to Duke’s five for the final outcome.
It was a defensive battle in the first half with both teams shooting just 40.0 percent from the floor. Georgia Tech opened with intensity, leading by as many as six points multiple times in the first quarter, lastly off a Blackshear jumper with 2:25 to play. But Duke spanned the quarter break with an 11-0 run to gain a 23-20 edge early in the second. Smith, who was a perfect 5-for-5 from the field in the first half, snapped the spurt as Tech climbed back to tie the game at 25-all. But Tech would be held to one field goal from Smith over the final four minutes as Duke took a 31-27 lead into the locker room.
Smith finished the game with 16 points and 13 rebounds, while Dunn added 10 points to the scoreboard. The double-double was the third for Smith this season and fifth of her career. Playing against the top three-point defensive team in ACC play, Duke kept Georgia Tech to one three-pointer in the outing from Chit-Chat Wright.
Duke also finished with two in double figures, paced by Taina Mair and Oluchi Okananwa, each with 12 points. The Blue Devils were also limited from three-point distance, hitting just three. Meanwhile, Tech dominated on the glass, winning the battle, 45-34.
Georgia Tech is back in action on Sunday, Feb. 2, traveling to Miami. Tip in the Watsco Center is slated for 2 p.m. and will be televised on the ACC Network.