Feb. 22, 2007
Atlanta – Stephanie Higgs scored 25 points and Janie Mitchell notched a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds as the Georgia Tech women’s basketball team earned its school-record ninth Atlantic Coast Conference victory with a 73-49 win over Virginia Thursday at Alexander Memorial Coliseum.
Tech, seeking its first NCAA bid since 2003, won its fourth straight game to improve to 18-10 overall, and 9-5 in the ACC. In addition to their best conference record ever, the Yellow Jackets now have the third-best overall win total in school history. Since joining Division I, Tech has won more than 18 games only twice, reaching the NCAA Tournament with 20-win seasons in 1993 and 2003.
Chioma Nnamaka added 19 points for the Jackets as the trio of Higgs, Mitchell and Nnamaka combined for 61 of Tech’s 73 points.
Nnamaka hit five three-pointers, and Tech went 10-for-18 from three-point range, coming within one of the school record for treys in a game.
The Jackets’ 24-point win is Tech’s largest margin of victory in an ACC game since 2003 and third-largest ever.
Leading 32-28 at the half, the Jackets opened the second half with a 21-4 run to take control of the game. Higgs, who also had eight rebounds and three steals, had eight points on the run as she scored 16 of her 25 points in the second half.
Tech forced 29 Virginia turnovers in the game and held the Cavaliers to just five field goals and 24 percent shooting in the second half. Monica Wright and Paulisa Millner led the Cavaliers (15-13, 4-9 ACC) with 12 points each, while Sharnee Zoll added 10 points.
Virginia shot 57 percent in the first half but led only briefly, 28-27, late in the half, before the Jackets scored the final five points of the half to take a 32-28 lead into the intermission.
The Jackets conclude the regular season with a non-conference game against Longwood Sunday at 2 p.m. at Alexander Memorial Coliseum. The ACC Tournament begins next Thursday, March 1, in Greensboro, N.C.
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