GREENSBORO, N.C. – Playing without first-team all-conference performer Lorela Cubaj for much of the final three quarters of the game, No. 25 Georgia Tech women’s basketball gutted out a 45-40 win over Wake Forest in the second round of the 2022 Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament on Thursday night at Greensboro Coliseum.
With the victory, sixth-seeded Georgia Tech (21-9) advanced to Friday’s quarterfinal round, where it will face No. 3-seeded and No. 20-ranked Notre Dame. The Yellow Jackets will look to avenge a 72-66 overtime loss to the Fighting Irish two weeks ago at Tech’s McCamish Pavilion.
The Jackets advanced to the quarterfinals despite losing Cubaj due to injury in the first minute of the second quarter. The first-team all-ACC selection and two-time ACC Defensive Player of the Year did not score but had a rebound, a blocked shot and a steal in her 10 minutes of action to help stake Georgia Tech to an early 16-6 lead.
However, the Yellow Jackets struggled after Cubaj departed the game, especially on the offensive end. After scoring 16 points in the first quarter, Tech managed a total of just 13 points in the second and third periods combined to allow Wake Forest (15-16) to cut the Jackets’ advantage to 29-25 going into the fourth quarter.
The Demon Deacons continued to make their push into the final period and drew even twice at 31-31 with seven-and-a-half minutes to go and 34-34 with five-and-a-half minutes to play. However, the Yellow Jackets never fell behind and, sparked by a huge 3-pointer from Lotta-Maj Lahtinen that gave the Jackets a four-point lead with just over a minute left on the clock, held on for the win.
Eylia Love scored a game-high 16 points, Lahtinen added 10 points and seven rebounds and Digna Strautmane chipped in with eight points and eight rebounds to lead Georgia Tech, but it was the Jackets’ defense that was the story of the game. Tech, which entered the contest with the nation’s fifth-best scoring defense (51.6 ppg), limited Wake Forest to 22% shooting from the field (14-of-64) and 17% from 3-point range (3-of-18). The Yellow Jackets led for 39:01 of the game’s 40 minutes (the score was tied for the remaining 59 seconds).
Jewel Spear was Wake Forest’s only scorer in double-digits with 11 points.
ACC Digital Network Highlights
ACC Digital Network Condensed Game
ACC Tournament Quarterfinals (Brian Savage photos)
Yellow Jackets open play Thursday night at 8 p.m. on RSN
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