Georgia Tech’s women secured a spot in the ACC tournament quarterfinals, topping 15th-seeded Pittsburgh Thursday night 68-58.
Senior Francesca Pan led the Yellow Jackets (20-10) in the second-round game, scoring a career-high 26 points.
Tech and Pitt played through 14 lead changes in the first half as neither team led by more than five. Pan led the Jackets with 14 points.
Nerea Hermosa hit a layup at the third-quarter buzzer to give Tech a 48-45 lead entering the final 10 minutes, igniting a strong fourth quarter. Tech opened the final period with an 8-2 run capped by back-to-back baskets from Pan to force a Pitt timeout with the Jackets leading 56-47 with 6:21 to play.
Hermosa scored 14 points.
“I’m really proud of our effort tonight,” said Tech coach Nell Fortner. “It’s not always easy opening up an ACC tournament in that first game, you have some jitters you have to get of your system, but I really thought this team played hard and really deliberate tonight. We weren’t always perfect and it wasn’t always pretty, but this team is really focused on staying together and being deliberate about what they’re doing. I was really proud of their fight tonight.”
Georgia Tech will face second-seeded N.C. State on Friday, at 6 p.m. The game will be televised by Fox Sports South.
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