Dec. 30, 2008
Box Score | Notes | Box Score | GALLERY
ATLANTA (AP) – Georgia Tech coach MaChelle Joseph was a little concerned about how her team would respond after a 10-day holiday layoff. She shouldn’t have been.
Jacqua Williams led four double-figure scorers with 16 points as No. 23 Georgia Tech routed Florida A&M 77-42 for its seventh consecutive victory on Tuesday night.
FAMU (4-6) missed 21 of its first 24 shots while falling behind 24-7 and trailed 40-17 at halftime. The Rattlers were down by as many as 42 points in the second half.
“I was pretty pleased defensively the way we came out,” said Joseph, who said she “didn’t know how rusty” her team might be.
Instead the Yellow Jackets (11-2) dominated defensively and shot 51.7 percent from the field, going 30-for-58.
Williams, a senior guard, led the way, making 7 of 9 shots, including two 3-pointers, to go with five assists and four steals.
“She filled up the stat sheet,” Joseph said, “and she does so many intangible things out there as well.
“I was impressed with her leadership.”
The Yellow Jackets also got 13 points from Brigitte Ardossi, 12 from Alex Montgomery and 10 from Deja Foster. Montgomery, who didn’t start, added 10 rebounds.
Stephanie Foster scored 18 points for FAMU. The Rattlers shot just 20.6 percent from the floor (7 of 34) in the first half and 24.6 percent (16 of 65) for the game.
The Yellow Jackets had been off since winning the Bahamas Sunsplash Shootout on Dec. 20, and it was their first home game since entering the Top 25 the previous week. Georgia Tech hosts Tulane on Sunday before beginning Atlantic Coast Conference play at home against Boston College on Jan. 8.
“We’ve had a great non-conference schedule, getting a chance to play Connecticut, the No. 1 team, and Texas,” Joseph said. “It’s prepared us for the rigors of the ACC, one of the best conferences in the country. We’re getting ACC ready.”
Williams and her teammates are definitely looking forward to the start of ACC play.
“I can’t wait,” she said. “It’s a whole different game, but that’s what we have been getting ready for.”
