Georgia Tech handed Georgia it’s first loss of the season on Sunday with a 52-45 win at McCamish Pavilion, the Yellow Jackets’ first victory over UGA in six years.
Tied at 45-45 with 4:02 to play, the Jackets held Georgia scoreless while forward Zaire O’Neil and Imami Tilford converted their final shots. Tech improved to 4-0 while Georgia (3-1) sustained it first loss and had a five-game win streak against the Jackets snapped.
“It was a typical Georgia-Georgia Tech game. In any sport we play, it’s a battle,” Tech coach MaChelle Joseph said. “I thought (Georgia’s) Caliya Robinson controlled the first half with her points and rebounds and then I thought Zaire O’Neil controlled the second half of the game with her points and rebounds and Zaire kept us in the game in the first half as well.”
Robinson a sophomore forward, had six rebounds and 13 points in the first half before finishing with 15 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 7-of-13 from the field.
O’Neil led the Jackets with 20 points and six rebounds on 8-of-15 shooting.
“She was getting killed in there,” Joseph said after O’Neil had to sit out part of the fourth quarter. “They were hitting her on every possession. I thought that she bounced back and she made plays down the stretch.”
Tech forward Elo Edferioka was injured in a collision with Robinson in the third period and did not return. An offensive foul was called on the play on Robinson, who later fouled out. Joseph said the redshirt junior’s shoulder popped out and Edferioka has a history of shoulder injuries.
A sloppy first quarter led the Lady Bulldogs to fall behind early and send most of the half playing catch up. The Jackets scored 25 points off 27 Georgia turnovers while the Lady Bulldogs shot 32 percent for the game.
“Defense wins every game,” Joseph said. “Any game you’re playing, in a game where everything matters, especially in an in-state rivalry game or against a top 20 opponent, it’s going to come down to defense and rebounding. We got out rebounded (42-33), but we got it done.”
The Jackets’ largest lead was nine with less than four minutes remaining in the first period and they maintained the advantage until the third when the Bulldogs took the lead at 31-29 on a Mackenzie Engram jump shot. Georgia held the lead for almost eight minutes until the Jackets took it back 43-41 with a 3-pointer by guard Francesca Pan.
The Lady Bulldogs’ last points came on two free throws by forward Pachis Roberts which tied it 44-44 with 6:44 remaining.
“In the last six minutes of the game, I think they went without a field goal,” Joseph said. “I think that’s based on our defense.… We threw a couple things at them defensively, but we didn’t make any adjustments for this game. We just did what we do at Georgia Tech.”
