Pressing Yellow Jackets Take Care Of Spartans, 92-45
12/6/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 6, 2007
ATLANTA, Ga. - Despite a milestone day from junior Courtney Bradley (Columbia, S.C./Dutch Fork), who reached both 300 career assists and 100 career 3-pointers against Georgia Tech on Thursday night, the USC Upstate women's basketball team fell to a pressing Tech team, 92-45 at the Alexander Memorial Coliseum.
Bradley became the fifth player in school history to reach 300 career assists when she dished a pass to freshman Kasey Thompson, who connected on a three from the right corner with 9:30 left in the first half. She became the fourth player to reach 100 career 3-pointers by banking a shot from downtown with 10:19 remaining in the game. Bradley finished the game with eight points, two assists, three rebounds and a steal.
Freshman Tiffany Whiting (Troutman, N.C./South Iredell) led the Spartans with 11 points and freshman Oceana Jackson (Carnesville, Ga./Franklin County), though held to just one point, posted a team-high six rebounds. Sophomore Courtney Hawkins (Greer, S.C./Greer), though scoring just four points, added a career-high eight assists to go with four steals.
"We ran into another NCAA Tournament-quality team," Upstate head coach Tammy George said, "and it showed. Their press was very effective all night long and they beat us with turnovers and rebounding."
The Yellow Jackets (6-1) jumped out to a 17-2 lead with 15:36 left in the first half, using a strong and athletic inside game and a full-court press to pressure the Spartans (3-6) into four early turnovers that resulted in seven points. The full court press continued to make the Spartans struggle, falling victim to 18 turnovers in the first half, resulting in 22 Georgia Tech points.
The Spartans did close the half with six straight points, as freshman Tara Tranum (Bluff City, Tenn./Tennessee) hit a 12-foot jumper for her first collegiate point with 1:25 left and hit two more free throws before junior Courtney Bradley (Columbia, S.C./Dutch Fork) closed the half's scoring with a fast-break layup after a steal by Hawkins.
The Yellow Jackets continued to press in the second half, although the Spartans played more in control, allowing 14 turnovers. Still, the Yellow Jackets aggressive style helped them take a lead as large as 52 points at 82-30 before the Spartans went on a 9-2 run. From there, the team played even.
Janie Mitchell led Georgia Tech, scoring 24 points and reach 1,000 in her career in the process. The senior forward added eight rebounds and three assists for the Yellow Jackets. Chioma Nnamaka, the ACC's leading scorer, posted 16 points and added five rebounds, five assists and three steals. Alex Montgomery posted 10 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and two steals.
Upstate will take a three-week break from competition before hosting Bethune-Cookman on New Year's Eve in a 7 p.m. game.
Notes
USC Upstate is now 4-3 all-time on Dec. 6.
Freshman Kim Pitman scored her first career point on a free throw with 8:26 remaining in the second half.
Freshman Kasey Thompson hit a 3-pointer for the fourth consecutive game.
Freshman Tiffany Whiting added three 3-pointers for the second consecutive game. It was her fifth game of the season with at least two trifectas.
The loss is the Spartans' most-lopsided in the DI era and most since a 104-49 loss at Columbus State on Jan. 28, 1998.
