THE FLATS – Lorela Cubaj scored 11 of Georgia Tech women’s basketball’s 15 points in overtime to lift the 11th-ranked Yellow Jackets to a heart-stopping 92-84 win over visiting Clemson on Sunday afternoon at McCamish Pavilion.
After being saddled with four fouls and scoring just 11 points in regulation, Cubaj doubled that total in the five-minute overtime to complete Georgia Tech’s rally from a fourth-quarter deficit and help the Yellow Jackets (19-6, 10-4 ACC) snap their only two-game skid of the season.
Tech, which led by 17 points late in the first half, squandered the lead and fell behind by as many as five points late in the third quarter. In a fourth period that featured seven ties and five lead changes, the Jackets still trailed with two minutes to go in the ballgame, but it appeared that they would escape with the victory in regulation when Lotta-Maj Lahtinen hit a running jumper on the left side of the key to give the Yellow Jackets a 77-75 lead. However, Clemson’s Delicia Washington, whose 40 points tied for the most scored by an Atlantic Coast Conference player this season, took the inbounds pass, drove the length of the floor and hit her own floater in the lane as time expired to send the contest to overtime.
Despite Clemson riding momentum into overtime, the extra period was all Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets scored the first four points of OT on layups by Nerea Hermosa and Lahtinen, then turned it over to Cubaj, who scored the Jackets’ final 11 points of the game on 3-of-4 shooting from the field and 5-of-5 shooting from the free throw line.
Eylia Love led four Yellow Jackets in double-figures with 26 points. Cubaj followed with her 22 and Hermosa and Sarah Bates chipped in with 19 and 17, respectively. Bates was red-hot in the first half, as she scored 15 of her 17 points on five 3-pointers before the break to help stake the Jackets to their early lead.
Playing their third game in seven days and without injured starter Digna Strautmane, three Yellow Jackets logged at least 44:54 of playing time, with Hermosa and Lahtinen playing all 45 and Bates coming off the floor for just six seconds. Despite playing with four fouls apiece, Love and Cubaj played 37:35 and 33:19, respectively.
Two players – Washington (40 points) and Daisha Bradford (18) – combined for 58 points for Clemson (9-17, 3-12 ACC).
Georgia Tech gets a much-needed three-day break before they return to action on Thursday for an ACC showdown versus nationally ranked Notre Dame at McCamish Pavilion. Tipoff for Tech’s annual Pink Game is set for 8 p.m. and the contest will be televised nationally on ACC Network. Gates will open at 6:30 p.m. to allow fans to view and take photos with the Atlanta Braves’ 2021 World Series trophy, which will be on display at McCamish Pavilion as part of the Braves’ World Champions Trophy Tour.
Head coach Nell Fortner meets with media following the victory
Lorela Cubaj meets with media postgame
