Georgia Tech’s defensive fortitude reached a new peak Sunday night as the No. 16 Yellow Jackets defeated Virginia 67-31 at McCamish Pavilion. The Cavaliers’ 31 points were a season low for a Tech opponent as the Jackets assembled a 32-2 run in the second half to seize control of the game.
Tech, which leads Division I in scoring defense at 44.6 points per game, played its first game in a week after its Thursday game at Duke was postponed due to health and safety protocols within coach Nell Fortner’s program. Tech had seven players available, a group including its starting five and two of its top subs. Virginia, meanwhile, was playing for the first time since Dec. 19 and was without three key starters.
“We might be low in numbers, but we’ve got experience, and that comes in handy,” Fortner said.
It was the second-fewest points that a Tech team has ever allowed to an ACC opponent, bettered only by a 59-30 win over Maryland in February 1996.
“I thought today our defense was pretty tough,” Fortner said. “We held them to three single-digit quarters. It was just really on point, and I’m proud of them for that. We’ll take this win and move on to the next one.”
Center Nerea Hermosa scored a career-high 20 points on 8-for-14 shooting from the field. Forward Lorela Cubaj contributed her seventh double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
The game was competitive through much of the first half, and the Cavaliers led 18-16 early in the second quarter before the Jackets went on a 10-0 run.
The Jackets are scheduled to play next at Pittsburgh Tuesday in a makeup game for the Dec. 30 game that was postponed due to health and safety protocols within Pitt’s team.
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