ATLANTA (Nov. 23) – Sophomore Niesha Butler scored a game-high 25 points, and sophomore Milli Martinez came off the bench to contribute 11 points and eight steals as Georgia Tech used relentless pressure defense to score a 75-51 victory against crosstown rival Georgia State Tuesday night in the Yellow Jackets’ women’s basketball season opener at the GSU Sports Arena.
The Yellow Jackets (1-0) took advantage of 30 turnovers by the Panthers (1-1) and finished with 24 steals on the night, the second-highest total in school history.
Tech led from the opening tip and built a double-digit lead by the midway point of the first half. Tech forced the Panthers into 16 first-half turnovers and limited Georgia State to just 28 percent shooting from the floor in the first 20 minutes.
Butler and Martinez also helped out the Jackets defensive effort as both finished with career highs in steals. Butler finished with five and Martinez’s eight tied for the third highest single game total by a Yellow Jacket individual.
Leslie McElrath led Georgia State with 19 points, and Lawana Johnson added 10.
The Yellow Jackets open their home season against Elon at 2 p.m. Friday in the first round of the Georgia Tech/Atlanta Marriott Northwest Basketball Classic in O’Keefe Gymnasium.
