Feb. 6, 2002
ATLANTA — The Georgia Tech women’s basketball team will once again try to return to the win column against NC State on Thursday night in a key Atlantic Coast Conference match-up for both teams. The game will tip off at 7:00 p.m. at Alexander Memorial Coliseum. The Yellow Jackets (13-8, 6-5 ACC) are alone in third place in the league standings, while the Wolfpack (11-10, 5-5 ACC) is a half-game back in fourth.
Tech will not only be looking to break its current two-game slide, but will also attempt to snap a three-game skid against NC State. The Wolfpack has won the last three meetings in the series, including a 75-63 decision in Raleigh last month, and holds a 36-11 lead in the all-time series between the two schools.
In the loss to Wake Forest, the Jackets continued to be a force on the boards, claiming a 55-47 edge in the game in that department. While the rebound margin continues to be a plus for the Jackets, shooting the ball was not against the Demon Deacons. Tech struggled at the free throw line, finishing with a 47.8 percent (11-for-23) performance in the game. That performance was the second-worst percentage of the year for the Jackets at the charity stripe.
As was the case against Duke, junior center Sonja Mallory continued her solid season in the post for Tech against Wake. Mallory recorded her team-leading sixth double-double of the year with 12 points and 10 rebounds. The 12 points marked the 17th time she has reached double figures in scoring this year to lead the team in that category.
Her 43 blocks this season rate as the second most by a junior in a season at Tech and her per game average of 2.05 is the second best in the ACC this year. Mallory has also climbed into sole possession of third place on Tech’s career blocked shot list.
Sophomore forward Fallon Stokes recorded the first double-doubl of her career against the Demon Deacons as she finished the game with 13 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
The Yellow Jackets’ rebound margin of +9.7 rates as the best mark in the ACC this year and is the sixth-best average in the nation according to the latest NCAA stats.
The game with NC State begins a crucial stretch for the Yellow Jackets, as Tech will next travel to Virginia and Maryland, looking to claim sweeps of the season series with both the Cavaliers and Terrapins.
