Ladies Snag First ACC Win, Take Down Syracuse 69-57

Georgia Tech WBB got its first ACC win of the season tonight vs Syracuse

Matthew Kistner | Jan 19, 2023

Georgia Tech Women’s Basketball picked up their first ACC win on Thursday night against the Syracuse Orange: 69-57. The team came in on a six game skid and was 0-7 in ACC play, but put out a strong team performance for the first time this season and proved that they have the talent and skill to go win big games.

Nell Fortner led the Jackets onto their home court and started 3 true freshmen. Tech quickly fell behind 12-6 in the first quarter as they struggled to find a defensive answer for Syracuse’s talented shooters. Senior guard Cameron Swartz then came off the bench and single-handedly scored five straight points to put Tech back in the game. The first quarter ended knotted at 13.

The second quarter told a similar story as Tech fell into another six-point deficit, but behind junior guard Avyonce Carter hitting a major three-point bucket and freshman guard Tonie Morgan completed an amazing euro step then spin layup, Tech marched back. The team went on a 9-2 run to close the half and hold a 31-30 lead at the break.

The worry at this point was if Tech could maintain their level of play. The Jackets kept falling into deficits which required big runs. This season had seen a lot of second-half crumbles from the ladies, but could they turn the story this time? The answer was yes.

The third quarter started just the same as the first two as Tech fell behind 40-34, another six-point deficit. However, Morgan and Swartz brought the team right back on their own 8-0 run to make it 42-40 in favor of the Jackets. In a foul-riddled third quarter for both teams, free throws were the key and in a reassuring showing the Jackets kept pace with their free throws, ending the third quarter with a 48-47 lead.

Tech entered the fourth quarter with a bit of Syracuse’s strategy as the Jackets surged ahead 56-53 with under five minutes to go behind excellent defensive play and great rebounding. The team never looked back from there as they pulled off a 13-4 run to close out the game; a run that showcased senior guard Bianca Jackson’s knack to get to the basket on drives and an outstanding shot clock-beating layup from Carter. Georgia Tech emerged victorious 69-57 over the Orange.

Swartz had the bounce-back game she had been waiting for, leading the team with 17 points. Tonie Morgan played an outstanding game, recording a double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds. Bianca Jackson finished with 11 points while Kayla Blackshear recorded 10 points and 5 rebounds. Carter put in her most minutes this season at 26 and played a great game with 9 points and went 100% from the free throw line and in field goals.

The team looks to carry this momentum onward as they end their three-game home-stay to travel to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and take on the 17th-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels on Sunday.

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