Nov. 18, 2005
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Sophomore Chioma Nnamaka scored 22 points and Janie Mitchell added 11 points and nine rebounds as the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (1-0) recorded a 68-55 win over UAB (0-1) in Birmingham Friday night. With the win, Georgia Tech is now 3-0 in season openers under Georgia Tech head coach MaChelle Joseph.
After trailing by three points entering the second half, the Yellow Jackets began the frame with a 20-3 run, highlighted by three field goals by junior guard Stephanie Higgs, who scored 12 points and pulled down seven rebounds on the night. The Yellow Jacket defense shut down the Blazers in the frame, allowing just three baskets from the field over the first 15 minutes. UAB finished the game shooting 25 percent from the field, while the Yellow Jackets converted on 47 percent of their shots in the contest.
Georgia Tech’s 68 points in the game were the most since the Jackets scored 74 against UAB a season ago.
Nnamaka’s 22 points came by converting on nine of her 11 shots from the field, including all three three-pointers that she attempted. She was also one of three Yellow Jackets to record seven or more rebounds on the night, while Tech finished the game with 45 total rebounds.
Tech took a 9-1 lead to begin the game, but the Blazers answered with a 14-4 run to take a 15-13 lead with 10:15 remaining on the clock. Despite making just nine field goals in the frame, the Blazers converted on 10-of-14 shots from the free-throw line to take a 31-28 lead into the locker room after closing the half on a 12-4 run. Domaneice Moore led UAB with eight points and seven rebounds in the frame, while Nnamaka paced the Jackets with 17 points in 18 minutes, converting on 7-of-9 from the field, including 3-of-3 from three-point range.
The Yellow Jackets return to action Sunday when they host Arkansas-Pine Bluff in their home opener at Alexander Memorial Coliseum at 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast on WREK-Radio, 91.1 FM in Atlanta, and online at www.wrek.org, while livestats for the game will be available at www.ramblinwreck.com.
