Jan. 31, 2010
Box Score | Notes | Box Score in PDF Format
ATLANTA (AP) – Georgia Tech is still perfect at Alexander Memorial Coliseum.
Senior forward Brigitte Ardossi led four double-figure scorers with 15 points and the No. 25 Yellow Jackets improved to 11-0 at home with a 61-47 victory over Virginia Tech on Sunday.
Georgia Tech (18-5, 4-3) has won 12 straight at home dating to the final home game of last season, and the streak is the second longest under coach MaChelle Joseph. The record over two seasons is 18 in a row.
“We talk about it every day,” Joseph said. “There is no way you can reach your goal of playing in the NCAA tournament without protecting your home court.”
“We take our home games very seriously,” sophomore center Sasha Goodlett added. “We can’t let anyone outwork us at home or get an edge on us.”
Goodlett, Alex Montgomery and Deja Foster each scored 11 points for the Yellow Jackets, while Mo Bennett grabbed nine rebounds and Metra Walthour distributed seven assists.
Montgomery, a junior forward who was third-team All-ACC, didn’t return after leaving the game with about four minutes remaining in the first half, shortly after hitting her third 3-pointer. She was lightheaded, according to Joseph, and was taken to the hospital to be checked.
“She’s fine,” Joseph said. “She had taken some cold medicine and it speeded up her heart. I don’t think there should be any complications from it.”
Utahya Drye had 15 points, 11 rebounds and four assists for Virginia Tech (12-9, 2-5). But the Hokies shot just 30.5 percent and committed 18 turnovers.
“When we hold a Top 25 team to only 61 points, we are playing the defense we need to play,” Virginia Tech coach Beth Dunkenberger said.
But the Hokies didn’t do the job offensively.
Georgia Tech built a 31-17 lead late in the first half and was up 31-24 at intermission despite shooting 33.3 percent. Drye had 13 first-half points for Virginia Tech, but her teammates made only 4 of 24 shots before intermission.
Ardossi scored eight points as Georgia Tech opened the second half on 12-6 run, taking a 43-30 lead. The Yellow Jackets led 59-39 after a basket by Foster with 6:46 remaining.
“This is a real confidence boost for us to finish the game the way we did without Alex,” Joseph said.
The Yellow Jackets, 0-3 on the road in the ACC, play at Maryland on Friday and at Clemson on Feb. 8 before returning home to face No. 13 Florida State, No. 7 Duke and No. 12 North Carolina.
“It’s very important that we get a road win,” Foster said. “I think we’re back in our groove, but we have to show it at Maryland.”
