MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Led by three Yellow Jackets in double-figures, No. 17/20 Georgia Tech handled Central Michigan in the season-opener for both teams Tuesday night, 74-40.
Georgia Tech raced out of the gate and never looked back in Mount Pleasant. After opening with an 8-0 run, the Yellow Jackets continued to build their lead in the first half. Nerea Hermosa and Eylia Love combined for 26 points in the opening 20 minutes, sending Tech into the locker room leading, 34-18. Hermosa capped the first half hitting a second chance layup to lead all scorers at intermission with 14.
CMU came out in the third quarter and immediately cut the score to 10 points with six points from Jahari Smith. But Tech answered with a 16-0 run to extend its lead to 50-24 with three minutes left in the stanza. Digna Stautmane dominated in the second half, exploding for 17 points and seven rebounds. The fifth-year was 7-for-8 from the floor and pulled down four offensive rebounds to help Tech stretch its lead out to as many as 36 in the fourth quarter.
Tech finished shooting at a 48.5 percent clip (32-66) and won the rebounding battle, 40-to-31. Lorela Cubaj and Strautmane paced the Jackets on the glass, each securing nine rebounds. While quiet offensively, senior Lotta-Maj Lahtinen dished out a game-high eight assists as Tech recorded 21 helpers.
Central Michigan finished with only one player in double digits, led by Smith with 14 points. A historically prominent team on their home court, the Chippewas were limited to a 25.5 percent shooting clip tonight, going 12-for-47 from the floor.
The win marked the 200th of head coach Nell Fortner’s collegiate head coaching career – combining her wins at Purdue, Auburn and Georgia Tech.
Georgia Tech faces a quick turnaround to welcome Kennesaw State to McCamish Pavilion on Thursday, Nov. 11 for its home opener. The Jackets and Owls tip at 7 p.m. on the ACC Network Extra.
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
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