Nov. 17, 2011
By Matt Winkeljohn
Sting Daily
There has not yet much real evidence because there hasn’t been much competition, but something’s different about Ty Marshall. It just may take a while to see it.
Georgia Tech’s hard-charging guard earned third-team All-ACC honors and made the ACC’s All-Freshman team, too, largely on a tendency to go full bore at the basket.
The sophomore from Upper Marlboro, Md., was the second-leading scorer for the Yellow Jackets (13.6 points per game), yet scored just 2.5 percent of her 475 points on three-point shots (4-of-14), and 14.5 percent from the free-throw line (69-of-119).
In the interest of diversifying, she’s focused both on her long shot and her free throws.
Lopsided wins over Alabama State (97-37) and Old Dominion (87-56) haven’t showcased Marshall’s skills development past her having made 5-of-7 free throws so far. She’s attempted just one three-point shot, missing it, while playing just 15 minutes in the first game and 17 in the second.
Just wait, though, you’ll see. Maybe Marshall’s larger skill set will avail itself Saturday at Marquette. Sooner or later, likely when the Yellow Jackets’ level of competition rises, it’ll be there.
First, though, she certainly has no intention of changing who she is; in fact, she wants to be even better at driving the hoop.
“I think over the offseason, I had to get a little bit stronger because I get hit a lot; I can take more contact,” she said. “I’m more of an attacking guard.”
No coach or player in the ACC is going to say otherwise, and with that in mind Marshall wants to branch out.
“I spent a lot of time working on my shot, specifically three-pointers. They moved the line back to be even with the men’s line. Everybody knows I can shoot a mid-range jumper and get to the basket so I’ve had to work on my shot. I know how to run the offense better, and how to slow the offense down.”
Through two games, fellow sophomore guard Dawnn Maye – almost an afterthought last season – has been the story. She’s led Tech or tied Marshall for scoring honors in both games, and against Old Dominion the speedy one scored 17 points (like Marshall), and added 10 assists while grabbing eight rebounds.
Without All-ACC performer Alex Montgomery around (she was the No. 10 pick in the WNBA draft last spring), the Jackets are not only looking for someone to shoot the long ball (Maye is among early candidates), but also for help in grabbing long rebounds.
Marshall can help there, too. At 5-feet-9, she’s got the build, and when she puts her mind to it she can track a ball down.
“I have a little bit more experience; I know what goes on about the style and pace of the college game,” Marshall said. “It’s not like this person has to score, and that person has to score. Everybody can get involved.
“We lost Alex, but Frida (Fogdemark) can shoot threes, and the freshman, Sydney Wallace, can shoot threes. Dawnn can shoot it. I think we have more depth.”
