Tech’s women’s basketball team picked up its 18th win of the season on Wednesday night when they defeated Savannah State, 89-34. This win was Tech largest margin of victory of the season and the most points the team has scored all year.
Four Tech players entered double digit points. Alex Montgomery led the team with 15 points. Sophomore guards Iasia Hemingway and Deja Foster came in right behind Mongomery with 14 and 13 points respectively. Freshman guard Mo Bennet rounded out the top four with 10 points.
Savannah State was able to keep pace very early in the game and even managed to pick up a lead 17:35 left in the first half. But that would turn out to be their only lead of the game. Just over two minutes left in the game the Jackets had already accumulated a 10-point lead. The Jackets were able to close out the half with their largest lead of the period, 24 points.
The Jackets shot 50 percent from the field hitting 17-of-34. They also managed to hit 2-of-7 from behind the arc. Tech picked up seven from behind the free throw line, with their 13 attempts. Savannah State hit 33 percent from the field, making only six of 18 attempts. Two of the six shots hits from the field were for three.
The Jackets continued to pull away in the second half, racking up a 40 point lead just before the midway point of the second half. From there the Jackets cruised to their 55 point victory over Savannah State.
The Jackets were able to out rebound the Tigers 43 to 30. Hemingway led the team with seven rebounds. Seven other Jackets were able to pull in three or more rebounds. Freshman point guard Metra Walthour led the Jackets with eight assists.
Lashara Smith led the Savannah State with 18 points. Courtney Long led the Tigers in rebounds with six.
Tech was able to keep its shooting above 50 percent for the second half, ending the game shooting 52 percent from the field. The Jackets were also able to shoot over 60 percent from behind the free throw line hitting 13-of-21. Tech also won the turnover battle, giving up just 16 and forcing 35. The Jackets were able to get 33 points off of the turnovers.
The Jackets travel up to Chapel Hill, N.C on Sunday to take on the No. 8 Tar Heels. The Jackets only have four more games left in the regular season after their Sunday matchup. They return home next Thursday to take on Maryland before going on the road for two against Clemson and Virginia Tech. Tech will close out the regular season on March 1 at Alexander Memorial Coliseum when they take on Virginia. The ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament will be in Greensboro, N.C.