Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Overall Rank: #35
Conference Rank: #8 ACC
Georgia Tech has been to the WNIT four straight years. With four starters back and an impressive freshmen class, this could be the year the Yellow Jackets reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014. Incoming freshmen Elizabeth Balogun and Liz Dixon, both McDonald’s All-Americans, are expected to make a big impact right away. Balogun, a 6-1 wing, and Dixon, a 6-5 forward, add a lot of size to an already big roster. Fellow freshmen Jasmine Carson and D’asia Gregg are also highly regarded recruits who will at least provide some depth this season.
2017-18 Record: 20-14, 6-10
2017-18 Postseason: WNIT
Coach: MaChelle Joseph
Coach Record: 294-191 at Georgia Tech, 294-191 overall
Key Departed Players (starters in bold)
Elo Edeferioka, Forward, 7.7 ppg
Zaire O’Neil, Forward, 10.1 ppg
Kaylan Pugh, Guard, 7.3 ppg
Imani Tilford, Guard, 4.5 ppg
Antonia Peresson, Guard, 4.2 ppg
Breanna Brown, Forward, 3.2 ppg
Key Returning Players (starters in bold)
Francesca Pan, Junior, Guard, 14.3 ppg
Kierra Fletcher, Sophomore, Guard, 7.6 ppg
Chanin Scott, Junior, Guard, 6.7 ppg
Lorela Cubaj, Sophomore, Forward, 3.7 ppg
Martine Fortune, Senior, Forward, 0.7 ppg
Anne Francoise Diouf, Sophomore, Forward, DNP last season
Key New Players
Elizabeth Balogun, Freshman, Guard
Jasmine Carson, Freshman, Guard
Liz Dixon, Freshman, Forward
D’asia Gregg, Freshman, Forward
Daijah Jefferson, RS Freshman, Forward
Lotta-Maj Lahtinen, Freshman, Guard
Kondalia Montgomery, Freshman, Guard
Projection:
The talented freshmen will fill in around four returning starters. Francesa Pan led the team with 14.3 points per game last season and connected on 79 three-pointers. Kierra Fletcher had a very promising freshman campaign and proved to be a good all-around player, averaging 7.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.6 steals. Chanin Scott was a regular starter in the backcourt as well and averaged 6.7 points per game. The lone starter back in the frontcourt is 6-4 sophomore Lorela Cubaj. She will not be much of a scoring threat, but Cubaj is solid on the glass and led the team in blocked shots. The scoring in the frontcourt will likely come from the freshmen and if those newcomers can live up to their potential immediately, Georgia Tech can pull off surprises in the ACC. The good news is that even if the pieces do not come together right away, the Yellow Jackets are a very young team that likely will have no seniors and just two juniors in the regular rotation.
Projected Postseason Tournament: NCAA
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 67.5 (122th in nation, 9th in conference)
Scoring Defense: 57.4 (33, 4)
Field-Goal Percentage: 40.9 (139, 8)
Field-Goal Defense: 38.8 (88, 8)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 3.9 (327, 14)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 30.4 (220, 12)
Free-Throw Percentage: 64.8 (303, 15)
Rebound Margin: 6.5 (36, 5)
Assists Per Game: 13.5 (149, 10)
Turnovers Per Game: 15.7 (178, 9)
Madness 2018 Women’s Basketball Recruit Rankings:
#11 Elizabeth Balogun
#16 Elizabeth Dixon
#98 Jasmine Carson
