THE FLATS – A strong fourth quarter from No. 19 Georgia Tech lifted the Yellow Jackets to a 73-62 victory over Wake Forest on Sunday afternoon. Tech led by as many as 15 points in the win that improved the Jackets to 21-5 overall and 9-5 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
Georgia Tech came out in the first half with intensity and opened a 24-13 lead on a pair of Tonie Morgan free throws to end the opening quarter. Fueled by a triple from Kara Dunn, the Jackets extended their lead to 30-15 within three minutes of the second quarter, forcing Wake Forest to burn a timeout. Tech shot 48.4 percent in the first 20 minutes, led by 11 points from Dunn, to hold a 37-28 halftime lead.
But it was a tale of two halves as Wake Forest came out in the third quarter with an 11-3 run to immediately cut the score to 40-39 with 5:44 to play in the frame. The Demon Deacons shot 75 percent in the period to Tech’s 27.3 percent efficiency, slicing the score to one possession, 50-48, entering the fourth quarter.
After the Deacs tied the game at 50-apiece on the first possession of the final period, Dani Carnegie answered, draining a three-pointer. But Wake Forest would grab its only lead of the game, connecting on back-to-back buckets for a 54-53 lead with 8:48 on the clock. Georgia Tech took a timeout and Kayla Blackshear returned the permanent lead to the Yellow Jackets out of the break. Tech maintained control remainder of the game and pushed its lead back out to double digits at the free throw line down the stretch. Morgan converted a layup for the final field goal of the contest, accounting for the final 73-62 score.
Inés Noguero returned to the starting lineup and provided a defensive spark in the win. Photo by Danny Karnik
For the 15th time this season, four Yellow Jackets finished in double-figures. Dunn led the offensive charge once again, dropping in a game-high 22 points, hitting four three-pointers, including a pair back-to-back in the fourth that reopened a nine-point Tech lead. Morgan and Carnegie both followed with 14 points apiece, while Blackshear contributed 11 points in the win. Morgan finished with a game-high six assists, with Tech owning 23 on 30 made field goals.
Rylie Theuerkauf led Wake Forest with 20 points, while Raegyn Conley added 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds. The Demon Deacons shot 48.2 percent from the field and won the rebounding battle, 35-30.
The 21st win ties for the most in the Nell Fortner era. Tech finished the 2021-22 season at 21-11 for the first 21-win campaign.
Georgia Tech continues this three-game homestand on Thursday, Feb. 20, welcoming No. 10 NC State to McCamish Pavilion. Tip is slated for 7 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.
Kara Dunn postgame press conference
Head coach Nell Fortner postgame press conference
PURCHASE TICKETS FOR WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Single-game tickets for the season remain on sale. Single game tickets begin at just $10 for general admission seating and are $12 for reserved seating. Youth pricing begins at $8 per game and are available day of game, while group ticket packages are on sale for 10 or more tickets at $5 per ticket. Please contact the Georgia Tech Athletic Association ticket office for more information on group tickets at tickets@athletics.gatech.edu. Fans can purchase tickets by visiting RamblinWreck.com or by calling the Georgia Tech ticket office at 1-888-TECH-TIX.
GEORGIA TECH WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CELEBRATES 50 YEARS
Georgia Tech is celebrating the 50th anniversary of women’s basketball on The Flats this season. Under the direction of coach Jim Culpepper, Georgia Tech competed its first year in the Georgia Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (GAIAW) in 1974-75 before joining the ACC in 1979-80. Tech has seen many highlights over 50 years, including playing in the NCAA Tournament 11 times, with two Sweet 16 appearances (2012, 2021), and producing nine WNBA draft picks, featuring first round draft picks Alex Montgomery and Sasha Goodlett. In its first postseason berth in school history, Georgia Tech captured the 1992 National Women’s Invitational Tournament. Currently in its sixth season under head coach Nell Fortner, the Yellow Jackets have reach postseason play three times in the last five years.
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.
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