Jan. 22, 2006
ATLANTA – Behind a game-high 19 points by junior Stephanie Higgs and a career-high 11 points from rookie April Phillips, Georgia Tech (12-6, 1-4 ACC) won its first Atlantic Coast Conference game of the 2005-06 season with a 66-61 victory over Wake Forest (10-7, 2-3 ACC) Sunday afternoon at Alexander Memorial Coliseum.
The Jackets led the entire first half after beginning the contest on a 22-8 run, although the Demon Deacons pulled within three points with just under a minute remaining in the frame before Kentrina Wilson stole the ball from Liz Strunk and Stephanie Higgs made a fast-break layup as time expired to give Tech a 28-23 lead at halftime.
The Deacs took their first lead of the game with 7:32 remaining on the clock as Cotelia Bond-Young hit a pair of free-throws, making the score 50-49. Three ties and just over two minutes later, the Jackets took the lead for good when Janie Mitchell rebounded a missed shot by Higgs for a put-back, making the score 52-50 in favor of the Jackets. Tech then outscored the Demon Deacons, 14-11 over the final 5:07, for the final five-point margin.
After shooting below 54 percent from the free-throw line over its last three games, Tech converted on 16-of-20 (80 percent) from the charity stripe against Wake, including going 6-for-9 over the last five minutes of the game.
Chioma Nnamaka joined Higgs and Phillips in double-figures, scoring 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting from the field, while also pulling down seven rebounds in 30 minutes of play. Kasha Terry led the Jackets on the boards, pulling down 10 rebounds while blocking six Demon Deacon shots, while sophomore guard Jill Ingram had a team-high three assists in the game.
“It was great to see April play well today,” said Georgia Tech head coach MaChelle Joseph. “Ever since ACC play started, she has just elevated her game. She’s more aggressive and playing with more confidence, and I thought that she gave us a big lift, especially early in the first half.”
After Wake outrebounded the Jackets, 23-21 in the first half, Tech responded in the second frame, pulling down 29 rebounds while holding the Deacs to just 12 boards in the second frame.
“We talked about the fact that rebounds would be the difference in the game,” said Joseph. “We were getting out-rebounded at halftime and to finish the rebound with over 50 rebounds just says so much about our heart, effort and determination.”
Liz Strunk and Bond-Young led the visitors with 17 points in the contest, while Deirdre Naughton scored 16.
The Jackets hit the road to face No. 6 Maryland in College Park this Thursday at 7 p.m. The game can be heard on WREK-Radio, 91.1 FM in Atlanta, and online at www.wrek.org. Livestats for the game will be available at www.ramblinwreck.com.
