Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Overall Rank: #21
Conference Rank: #4 ACC
Georgia Tech had a very consistent 2020-2021 season. The team finished a very respectable 12-6 in ACC play and that was good enough for a more than respectable third place finish in conference play. That earned them a five seed in the NCAA Tournament where the Yellow Jackets beat Stephen F. Austin and West Virginia and reached the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2012 and just their second time ever. With nearly the entire lineup returning, Coach Nell Fortner’s squad will be looking to do it again.
2020-21 Record: 17-9, 12-6
2020-21 Postseason: NCAA
Coach: Nell Fortner
Coach Record: 37-20 at Georgia Tech, 199-137 overall
Key Departed Players (starters in bold)
Anaya Boyd, Guard, 2.2 ppg
Key Returning Players (starters in bold)
Lotta-Maj Lahtinen, Senior, Guard, 15.0 ppg
Kierra Fletcher, Senior, Guard, 13.0 ppg
Lorela Cubaj, Senior, Forward, 12.5 ppg
Loyal McQueen, Sophomore, Guard, 8.8 ppg
Nerea Hermosa, Junior, Center, 8.1 ppg
Sarah Bates, Senior, Guard, 6.9 ppg
Eylia Love, Sophomore, Guard/Forward, 4.5 ppg
Aixa Wone Aranaz, Junior, Forward, 2.5 ppg
Avyonce Carter, Sophomore, Guard, 1.9 ppg
Anisa Clark, Sophomore, Guard, 1.0 ppg
Key New Players
Elizabete Bulane, Freshman, Guard
Carmyn Harrison, Freshman, Forward
Digna Strautmane, Senior, Forward, Transfer from Syracuse
Projection:
On paper this is not a great shooting team, but the backcourt returns three starters and their top sub who are all capable of making outside shots. Lotta-Maj Lahtinen led the team in three-pointers made and points with 15.0. The 5-9 senior added 4.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.9 steals. Lahtinen is a great leader on the floor and more than capable of dropping 30 points on any given night, like she did in a loss to North Carolina State last season. Kierra Fletcher had another good season, averaging 13.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists. Loyal McQueen had a very promising freshman campaign, averaging 8.8 points per game. She scored in double digits in her first five collegiate games, but was far less consistent after that. With a year under her belt, expect bigger things from McQueen. Senior Sarah Bates will step back into a starting role after playing in just 11 games last season due to an injury. Lorela Cubaj and Nerea Hermosa should return to their starting roles in the frontcourt. Cubaj averaged 12.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks, while Hermosa added 8.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks. The frontcourt will get a big boost from four-year Syracuse starter Digna Strautmane. She averaged 7.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks. Along with wing Eylia Love, junior Aixa Wone Aranaz and incoming freshman Carmyn Harrison, Georgia Tech has the depth they need to make another serious run towards an ACC title.
Projected Postseason Tournament: NCAA
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 65.6 (144th in nation, 12th in conference)
Scoring Defense: 61.6 (95, 3)
Field-Goal Percentage: 42.3 (87, 6)
Field-Goal Defense: 40.7 (196, 8)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 5.7 (197, 11)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 31.8 (140, 10)
Free-Throw Percentage: 67.8 (223, 10)
Rebound Margin: 2.9 (88, 6)
Assists Per Game: 14.0 (103, 8)
Turnovers Per Game: 12.5 (21, 2)
Madness 2022 WNBA Draft Rankings:
22 Lorela Cubaj
Madness 2021 Women’s Basketball Recruit Rankings:
#122 Carmyn Harrison
