Jan. 4, 2005
ATLANTA – The Georgia Tech women’s basketball team, winners of their last four contests and nine of their first 11 games of the season, will travel to Tallahassee, Fla. to take on the Florida State Seminoles in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both teams. The Jackets and `Noles will meet Thursday at 7 p.m. at The Tucker Center (Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center) in a game that will be broadcast on WREK-Radio, 91.1 FM in Atlanta and online at www.wrek.org. Livestats for the contest will be available at www.ramblinwreck.com.
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Florida State has won 13 of its first 14 games of the season, with its only loss coming in the championship game of the Montana Invitational to host school Montana on December 29th. The Yellow Jackets only losses of the year came on the road as well, as Tech dropped games at Tulsa on Dec. 12 and St. John’s on Dec. 17.
Georgia Tech Tidbits
LIVING UP TO THE HYPE: Prior to the season, the Yellow Jackets voted and 50 percent of the squad said that Stephanie Higgs would be the player that would surprise people this season…she’s lived up to that hype through the first 11 games, leading the team in scoring (14.5 ppg) and steals (22) while standing second in assists (26) and averaging 4.7 rebounds per contest.
INTO THE FIRE: Freshmen Jill Ingram and Chioma Nnamaka were thrown into the starting lineup prior to the season opener and have performed well, as they are second and fourth, respectively, in scoring. Nnamaka has started every game for the Jackets this season while Ingram has been in the starting lineup in all but one contest.
STAY AWAY FROM THE BLOCK: Kasha Terry has picked up where she left off a year ago, averaging 2.7 blocks per game this season after blocking 2.5 per contest a year ago. She has logged at least one block in every game this season and has blocked a shot in 13 straight contests, dating back to last season. This season, she has recorded eight games with two or more blocks.
LOOKING AT THE BENCH: Just because the starters are out doesn’t mean Tech’s opponents can relax…through the first eight games of the season, the Jackets’ bench is averaging 24.6 points per game (271 total), while the starters are averaging 39.9 points (439 total).
SUB, PLEASE!: After finishing the 2003-04 season with just five active players averaging more than 15 minutes per game, the Jackets currently have eight players playing more than 15 minutes per contest, with six of those averaging more than 20 minutes per game.
THE JACKETS ON “D”: Through the first 11 games of the season, Georgia Tech has forced 201 turnovers by its opponents, which has led to 104 Yellow Jackets steals (9.5 per game). In comparison, the Jackets have turned the ball over 30 fewer times, leading to just 68 opponent steals in 11 games (6.2 per game).
MAKING THE MOST OF “FREE” POINTS: Since dropping the pair of games at Tulsa and St. John’s in which the Yellow Jackets shot just 50 percent from the free-throw line (15-of-30), Georgia Tech has been much stronger from the charity stripe. In the four games since, the Jackets have connected on 81.9 percent of their free throws (59-of-72), including a season-high 90 percent mark against Alcorn State in the championship game of the GT/Atlanta Marriott NW Holiday Invitational.
TIME TO WAKE UP: The Yellow Jackets have needed time to “wake up” in the last four games, shooting a combined 36.2 percent in the first half (42-for-116) of these contests. In comparison, the Yellow Jackets have shot 53.7 percent in the second half of these games (A combined 58-for-108), including 61.5 percent mark in the most recent matchup against UAB. Totaling the first half points against Samford, Mississippi Valley State, Alcorn State and UAB, the Jackets are outscoring their opponent by an average of just 4.25 points in the frame, while they are 163-91 against their foes in the second half, outscoring them by an average of 18 points in the frame.
Yellow Jacket Injury Update
There are no Georgia Tech injuries to report at this time.
Jackets vs. the Seminoles
• The Jackets and Seminoles have met 30 times in history, with Georgia Tech holding the slight 16-14 edge in the series record after sweeping the Seminoles a year ago. Florida State was the only ACC team that Georgia Tech accomplished this feat against in the 2003-04 season.
• Georgia Tech has actually won the last four games against Florida State, and five of the last six.
• Florida State is one of just two ACC teams in which the Yellow Jackets have a winning record against, with the other being Wake Forest.
• LAST SEASON: Georgia Tech won its conference opener, 66-58, against Florida State in Atlanta behind an 18-point performance by senior Fallon Stokes. Kasha Terry also recorded 10 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks against the Seminoles in the contest while Megan Isom added 13. Holly Johnson and Ronalda Pierce were the Seminoles’ top scorers in the game, scoring a combined 24 points off the bench. The Jackets won their second conference game of the season on the return trip to Tallahassee 23 days later, defeating Florida State 73-62. Tech received 20 points from Isom, and 12 points apiece from Terry and Stephanie Higgs. Shante Williams led the `Noles with 14 points in the contest.
Tech and the Atlantic Coast Conference
• Georgia Tech is 105-254 in conference play in its 25 years as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
• The Yellow Jackets are 6-19 in conference openers after posting a win in last season’s ACC opener against Florida State at Georgia Tech’s Alexander Memorial Coliseum.
• Georgia Tech is just 2-12 in conference openers that occur on the road, however both of those wins came against Florida State in the only two times that the Yellow Jackets opened conference play in Tallahassee (The 1991-92 season and in `93-94).
Following the game against the Seminoles, Georgia Tech will return to Atlanta to host Virginia and Maryland next week. The Jackets will face the Cavaliers Monday at 7 p.m. in a game that will be broadcast on the ACC’s Regional Sports Network (FSN South, Comcast, Sunshine) and then face the Terrapins Thursday at 7 p.m. in a non-televised game.
