WBB Unable to Close the Gap, Loses to Hokies 65-52

The Tech Women Finish the Season at 13-16

Matthew Kistner | Feb 26, 2023

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Georgia Tech came into McCamish Pavilion for one last ride for the seniors to take on the 9th-ranked Virginia Tech Hokies on Sunday afternoon. Nerea Hermosa, Cameron Swartz, and Bianca Jackson all suited up in a Tech uniform for the last time and looked to pull a shocking upset. Unfortunately, the afternoon did not go how the seniors would have dreamed it, but the game was not short of effort.

Georgia Tech won the opening tip with Swartz possessing it off the fingers of Hermosa. Tech took a quick 4-2 lead that would quickly dissipate as Virginia Tech hit a pair of three-point buckets, one of which turned into a four-point play, to put them up 9-4. The Jackets would never recover from this deficit as the team made attempts to claw back in the first quarter, but all fell short. Right away there was a noticeable lack of ability to cover Virginia Tech’s star center Elizabeth Kitley as she knocked in jumper after jumper from midrange.

Georgia Tech WBB — Georgia Tech closed out their season in McCamish against VT Sunday Afternoon / Georgia Tech Athletics

The Jackets entered the second quarter down 18-10 and would fall into a ten-point deficit which VT was able to maintain throughout most of the quarter. Eventually, Avyonce Carter broke the exchange of two-point baskets when she drilled a three-pointer; however, the Hokies responded right back with their own three-point bucket to sustain the ten-point lead. No matter what the Jackets did, it felt like Virginia Tech would always respond right back to sustain their cushion. Right before the half Swartz drilled a three that pulled the game to 37-25 favoring Virginia Tech.

Down 12 going into the locker room, Tech did not have the best odds. The team would need to find a way to shut down Kitley from mid-range or find a way to get consistent baskets in the paint. The team came out for the second half feeling strong as Swartz knocked down some three-pointers right away to pull the game to 42-33. However, Virginia Tech went on a 7-0 run that put the Jackets in a really poor place to come back, being down 49-33. Swartz continued to make great effort plays and it was clear she wanted to leave her legacy in McCamish, but it was just not enough as Virginia Tech kept equalizing every basket Georgia Tech would make and then some.

The fourth quarter began with Tech down 56-40 and pride was on the line at this point. The Jackets strung together a winning fourth quarter as they outscored the Hokies 12-9 behind great effort plays and good defense. The final buzzer sounded on the seniors with a tough, hard-fought 65-52 loss to ninth-ranked Virginia Tech. The team should not be ashamed of their performance though as Swartz finished with 20 points and 5 rebounds, Carter with 8 points and 3 rebounds, and Tonie Morgan with 7 points and 7 rebounds.

The game preludes Georgia Tech’s entrance into the ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament where the team will look to make an amazing run to possibly clinch an NCAA Tournament berth.

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