THE FLATS – Georgia Tech outscored No. 2 Notre Dame in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a strong first half from the Fighting Irish as the Jackets dropped a 77-54 decision Sunday afternoon. With the loss, Tech moved to 12-5 overall and 1-3 in league play.
“Obviously we are very disappointed,” commented head coach MaChelle Joseph. “They [Notre Dame] have five all-Americans and I thought you saw today why they are so special with seven players because they have three of the best guards in the league. At the end of the day, it’s not about Notre Dame. I’m disappointed in our effort.”
How It Happened
The Jackets struggled from the field in the first half, shooting just 20 percent (5-25), while Notre Dame shot 70 percent (21-30) to open a 48-18 lead at halftime. The Fighting Irish capitalized on 12 Jacket turnovers, converting the miscues into 20 points and outscored Tech in the paint, 34-8. Francesca Pan led the Jackets with five points in the opening quarter, but was held scoreless in the second frame. The Jackets were 7-of-9 from the charity stripe.
Tech came out of halftime battling to erase its deficit, opening with a 9-0 run, cutting the score to 48-27, before Notre Dame got on the board in the stanza. The Fighting Irish would reopen a 29-point lead before the end of the frame and held a steady advantage in the fourth quarter. Tech outscored Notre Dame in the second half, 36-29, and shot 40.7 percent (11-27) for the final 20 minutes.
Tech Tidbits
* Tech shot 30.8 percent (16-52) from the field compared to Notre Dame’s 62.3 percent (33-53)
* The Jackets finished 19-of-28 from the free throw line (67.9 percent), while the Fighting Irish were 8-of-10
* Kaylan Pugh led the Jackets with 17 points. Francesca Pan added 12 points.
* Four Fighting Irish finished in double-figures led by Arike Ogunbowale with 25 points
* Notre Dame outscored Tech in the paint, 56-22
* The Fighting Irish narrowly won the rebounding battle, 32-29
Next Up
Tech hits the road for the next two games, traveling first to NC State on Wednesday, Jan. 10. Tip is slated for 7 p.m. in Reynolds Coliseum.
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