ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Tech shut down No. 3 UConn in its first recreation since an harm to reigning nationwide participant of the yr Paige Bueckers, defeating the Huskies 57-44 in a defensive slugfest Thursday night time.
With each groups struggling to muster offense, the sport was tied at halftime (28-28) and on the finish of the third quarter (39-39).
However Georgia Tech (7-2) pulled away within the fourth quarter earlier than a raucous crowd of 4,578 — the sixth-largest in class historical past — to snap UConn’s 240-game successful streak towards unranked opponents.
Lotta-Maj Lahtinen scored 15 factors and Nerea Hermosa chipped in with 13 factors for the Yellow Jackets.
UConn, averaging 74.5 factors a recreation with Bueckers, missed its first 9 photographs of the ultimate interval, together with committing six turnovers.
The Huskies (5-2) had been held to a single free throw within the fourth till Evina Westbrook lastly knocked down a shot with 1:18 remaining.
By then, it was far too late. UConn hit 18 of 58 photographs (31%) and appeared downright feeble with out Bueckers.
Christyn Williams led UConn with 13 factors however made simply 1 of 8 from 3-point vary.
Georgia Tech was holding opponents to a mean of 46.3 factors per recreation — and really improved on that determine towards the Huskies.
The Yellow Jackets had been coming off a 55-54 victory at No. 21 Georgia, however they had been dealt some gorgeous information about 24 hours earlier than tipoff.
Affiliate head coach Tasha Butts revealed that she has been identified with a complicated stage of breast most cancers. The 39-year-old Butts mentioned she intends to maintain teaching as a lot as doable whereas present process therapy, however she was not on the bench for Thursday’s recreation.
Ladies’s basketball chief of employees Mickie DeMoss, a former head coach at Florida and Kentucky, stuffed in as an assistant on Nell Fortner’s employees.
Bueckers was injured within the last minute of Sunday’s 73-54 victory over Notre Dame. She suffered a fracture slightly below her left knee and can be sidelined for as much as two months.
UConn additionally was with out freshman Azzi Fudd, the nation’s consensus high recruit final yr. She is resting a stress harm to her proper foot and is predicted to be out no less than two weeks.
THE TAKEAWAY
Contents
UConn: The Huskies acquired their first style of enjoying with out their finest participant — and it wasn’t fairly. They’ve now misplaced as many video games as all of final season, when UConn reached its thirteenth straight Last 4 however was upset within the semifinals by Arizona.
Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets confirmed loads of focus after the troublesome information concerning Butts. They picked up their first win over a top-3 staff since 2009.
UP NEXT
UConn: Returns house to face UCLA on Saturday.
