Feb. 8, 2010
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CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) – Brigitte Ardossi had 17 points and 13 rebounds and No. 21 Georgia Tech reached 20 wins for the fourth straight year with a 68-53 victory over Clemson on Monday night.
The Yellow Jackets (20-5, 6-3 ACC) had only two 20-win seasons in their history before MaChelle Joseph became coach before the 2003-04 season. Now, they’re just three wins away from the program record for most victories in a season set in 1978.
Ardossi, the 6-foot-2 senior from Australia, helped Georgia Tech take control of this one early with eight points during a 20-8 first-half run that put it ahead 27-16.
Clemson (11-14, 2-7) could not rally and lost its 44th straight against ranked opponents, a streak that dates to Nov. 2003.
Lele Hardy led the Tigers with 13 points after going 0-of-4 shooting in the opening half.
It was Ardossi’s fifth game this season with double figure points and rebounds.
Deja Foster scored 16 points for Georgia Tech, Sasha Goodlett had 14 and Alex Montgomery 10.
Georgia Tech hoped not to get caught looking past one of the league’s poorer teams with two big Top 10 contests ahead against No. 10 Florida State and No. 8 Duke next week that could determine the Yellow Jackets’ title chances in the ACC.
And after a sluggish start, Georgia Tech turned up its pressure defense to take control.
Hardy’s two foul shots put the Tigers up 8-7 with just more than five minutes gone. That’s when the Yellow Jackets went on a 20-8 surge the next 10 minutes to move in front.
Ardossi was a big reason for the run, twice finishing three-point plays for Georgia Tech.
Foster and Ardossi finished the half with 10 points apiece for Georgia Tech, which shot better than 55 percent for the period.
Clemson had few answers against the Yellow Jackets defense, committing 16 turnovers and making just 8 of 29 shots in the first half.
Hardy, among the ACC’s top 10 scorers at No. 8, was 0 of 4 from the field in the first 20 minutes. She had seven steals and five of the Tigers’ 25 total turnovers.
Clemson came within nine points in the second half on April Parker’s bucket with 7:27 to go.
However, Ardossi responded again with a pair of baskets that extended the Yellow Jackets lead to 58-44.
Parker finished with 10 points, the only other Clemson player in double figures. The Tigers had their troubles from the outside, ending at 31.7 percent (20-of-63) overall and just 3 of 14 on 3-pointers.
