THE FLATS – Despite rallying back from multiple runs, Georgia Tech women’s basketball dropped a tight game to Virginia, 61-59, Thursday night inside McCamish Pavilion.
The Yellow Jackets (7-10, 2-3 ACC) led 15-13 after the opening quarter but a strong second frame from the Cavaliers (13-3, 5-0 ACC) willed them to victory, despite Tech allowing just eight fourth quarter points.
Tech was once again led offensively by reigning ACC Player of the Week and AP Honorable Mention Player of the Week Talayah Walker, who scored 21 points with eight rebounds. It marked her fifth-straight game with at least 20 and a conference-leading fourth in league action this season. She and Brianna Turnage played every minute of the Jackets’ fifth ACC game, with Turnage collecting nine points with seven rebounds and a career-high five steals.
Valuable minutes also came from Catherine Alben (eight points and three assists) and Jada Crawshaw (seven points, five rebounds). Both entered off the bench Thursday.
Alben and Turnage were tied for the team lead in rebounds with Erica Moon. Walker also continued her efficiency at the charity stripe, shooting 11-for-12.
The defeat snaps Tech’s three-game win streak and two-straight in ACC games this season.
FIRST HALF
UVA scored the game’s first nine points before a steal-and-score from Turnage broke up the early run. She added another score moments later to slice the deficit to 9-4. Crawshaw cut into a 4-0 UVA run with a takeaway score, making it 12-6 with under four left in the first. Walker collected her first points of the night on a pair of free throws to get Tech within four, 12-8, with two minutes left. After another forced turnover, Alben scored two free throws to make it 12-10. A Turnage free throw then made it a one-point game, 12-11, with a minute remaining. Walker put the Yellow Jackets in front, 13-12, with two more shots from the charity stripe and 40 seconds on the clock. Virginia then tied the game on a free throw of their own but a relentless effort from Walker under the rim forced a shot in, giving Tech a 15-13 lead after one.
Virginia managed a 10-0 run to open the period before it was cut into by a tough layup from Walker. Moon was fouled on a three-point attempt and made all three, getting UVA’s lead to just three, 23-20, with four minutes left in the half. Virginia scored again but then La’Nya Foster drew a foul and made both free throws, one again a three-point game at 25-22. UVA made a triple – the first by either team – to get ahead, 28-22. Another trip to the free throw line for Walker netted two more points, getting her to double figures on the night. The road team made another three but were followed by a tough score from Turnage. The Cavs led 31-26 at the intermission.
SECOND HALF
Crawshaw collected a basket on the first Tech possession, cutting it to 31-28 early in the third. Walker then drilled a trey to answer a UVA score, making it a two-point game at 33-31. Crawshaw added an and-one play to answer one from the Cavs a minute later, now 36-34. Following a Moon free throw, an assist from Crawshaw to Foster made it 40-37. The Cavaliers scored four in a row before Alben made a midrange jumper, now 47-41 in favor of the road team. After another defensive takeaway, Alben hit a triple to put Tech back within three, 47-44. Virginia led 53-46 going into the fourth.
Virginia scored first in the fourth while the first Yellow Jacket points came from Ariadna Termis moments later. Samuel entered the game and immediately made a basket, getting Tech down seven, 57-50. After an offensive charge for UVA, Walker made her ninth free throw to get within six, 57-51. Coming out of the 4:41 media timeout, Walker made two more free throws, slicing the score to 57-53. Free throws from both sides pushed the score to 59-54 in favor of UVA with just over two minutes left. Out of a timeout, Walker drilled a triple to get over 20 points and get Tech down two, 59-57. Now with 14 seconds left, Turnage scored a quick layup to follow two UVA free throws, 61-59. Virginia held on in the final seconds to seal the result.
GAME NOTES
- Walker has six games of 20+ points in the last eight games.
- Georgia Tech allowed just six points off turnovers Thursday, the fewest in a game since Nov. 13 vs. Charleston Southern (2).
- Georgia Tech allowed two fastbreak points, the fewest since Nov. 29 vs. Florida (2).
UP NEXT
The Yellow Jackets are set for a duel with the Clemson Tigers Sunday, Jan. 11 inside McCamish Pavilion for a 4 p.m. tip-off on the ACC Network. Fans can purchase tickets here.
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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