Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
ACC (24-8, 12-4)
Georgia Tech had some expectations to move into the upper echelon of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Returning a slew of contributors from a team that reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament will certainly increase what the fan base expects out of the team. And the Yellow Jackets have had a good season, but they failed to beat most of the top teams in the conference. This is a team that has the ability to win big games, but they have yet to do so on a consistent basis.
Big Wins: 11/30 Nebraska (73-57), 12/11 at Middle Tennessee (58-47), 1/25 Virginia (63-53)
Bad Losses: 11/26 vs Green Bay (62-67), 12/4 at Georgia (68-75), 1/9 Miami (65-77)
Coach: MaChelle Joseph (9 seasons at Georgia Tech)
Why They Can Surprise:
What will keep the Yellow Jackets in most games is their size. Center Sasha Goodlett is 6-5 and a force in the paint on both ends of the floor. On the offensive end she is a great interior scorer and really opens up space for her teammates. On the defensive end she will hit the glass and block plenty of shots. Danielle Hamilton-Carter has been a part-time starter this season and the 6-4 forward will do the dirty work under the basket. Hamilton-Carter will not score much, but with that size, Georgia Tech is difficult to score against. And the frontcourt depth is just as impressive. LaQuananisha Adams, a 6-4 senior, can start beside Goodlett or relieve her off of the bench. Add Chelsea Regins, a high energy forward who can hit the glass, and the Yellow Jackets have a lot of talented and experienced big bodies.
Why They Can Disappoint:
The Ramblin’ Wreck has talent on the perimeter too. Point guard Metra Walthour is a steady ball handler and Dawnn Maye is a great secondary ball handler and defender. However, the team as a whole tends to turn the ball over a little too much. This is not a team that has the luxury of giving away possessions if they want to reach the final 16 or beyond. The other concern is a good thing and a bad thing. This is not a good three-point shooting team. The good news is they do not take many three-pointers so they do not force the issue. Tyaunna Marshall is the leader of this team and is a great scorer who can attack the basket. However, she is not a shooter. Walthour is the only consistent outside shooting threat on the team and if her shot is not falling, the opposition will have a much easier time stopping Marshall slashing to the basket and Goodlett doing her thing in the paint.
Probable Starters:
Metra Walthour, Senior, Guard, 9.5 ppg, 3.8 apg
Dawnn Maye, Sophomore, Guard, 6.5 ppg, 3.7 apg, 2.4 spg
Tyaunna Marshall, Sophomore, Guard, 15.3 ppg, 2.3 apg, 6.4 rpg
Tjasa Gortnar, Freshman, Forward, 2.6 ppg, 2.2 rpg
Sasha Goodlett, Senior, Center, 14.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.4 bpg
Key Roleplayers:
LaQuananisha Adams, Senior, Center, 2.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg
Mo Bennett, Senior, Guard, 3.6 ppg, 1.1 apg
Danielle Hamilton-Carter, Junior, Forward, 2.7 ppg, 1.5 rpg
Chelsea Regins, Senior, Forward, 5.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg
Sydney Wallace, Freshman, Guard, 5.4 ppg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 70.9 (38th in nation, 4th in conference)
Scoring Defense: 58.8 (105, 4)
Field-Goal Percentage: 43.7 (21, 4)
Field-Goal Defense: 38.6 (168, 9)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 3.8 (257, 9)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: na
Free-Throw Percentage: 67.1 (218, 7)
Rebound Margin: 3.5 (80, 7)
Assists Per Game: 16.5 (15, 2)
Turnovers Per Game: 17.2 (158, 5)
Recent Postseason Appearances:
Georgia Tech 2011 NCAA Round of 64 win over Bowling Green
Georgia Tech 2011 NCAA Round of 32 loss to Ohio State
Georgia Tech 2010 NCAA Round of 64 loss to Arkansas Little Rock
Georgia Tech 2009 NCAA Round of 64 win over Iowa
Georgia Tech 2009 NCAA Round of 32 loss to Oklahoma
Georgia Tech 2008 NCAA Round of 64 loss to Iowa State
Georgia Tech 2007 NCAA Round o 64 win over DePaul
Georgia Tech 2007 NCAA Round of 32 loss to Purdue
*all team stats through 3/1
See All Women’s Basketball Postseason Capsules
