THE FLATS — Georgia Tech capped off non-conference play with a 67-51 victory over Princeton Thursday night. Three players scored in double-figures led by Elo Edeferioka with a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds.
“I’m just really pleased with the effort we gave on the defensive end,” commented head coach MaChelle Joseph. “I was concerned going into the game knowing how much zone Princeton played without Francesca Pan, but I thought it was great to see the other players step up. I thought Zaire [O’Neil] and Elo [Edeferioka] were a lot for them to handle on the inside. We got good contributions across the board.”
How It Happened
The Yellow Jackets committed just five turnovers in the first half and capitalized on 14 Princeton miscues, converting the Tiger turnovers into 20 points and held a 35-21 lead at the halftime break. The Tigers won the battle on the glass, 19-13, led by seven boards by Bella Alarie. It was a back-and-forth battle in the early going before Tech pulled away, closing the first quarter with a 7-0 run for a 16-8 edge. Consecutive three-point plays from Tilford and Elo Edeferioka in the second quarter handed Tech its largest lead of the half, 35-19, with 36 seconds to play.
Edeferioka fueled an 11-2 run in the third quarter as Tech pulled away from Princeton, 46-28, with just under five minutes left to play in the frame. The Jackets would lead by as many as 21 points in the fourth quarter. After trailing on the boards in the first half, Tech outrebounded the Tigers 32-22 in the second half to finish with a 45-41 edge on the glass. For the game, the Jackets shot 40.6 percent (26-64).
Tech Tidbits
* Elo Edeferioka set a career-high of 17 points at Tech and notched her second double-double of the season with 10 rebounds
* Zaire O’Neil finished with 13 points followed by Antonia Peresson with 12 points
* Chanin Scott nearly missed a double-double with 10 rebounds and eight points
* Tech now leads the all-time series against Princeton 3-0
* Tech held an opponent to under 30.0 percent shooting for the fourth time this season as Princeton shot just 27.9 percent
Next Up
Georgia Tech continues this three-game homestand and opens ACC play next, hosting No. 2 Notre Dame on Monday, Jan. 2. Tip inside McCamish Pavilion is slated for 7 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.
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