Collegiate Times

The Virginia Tech woman's basketball team suffered a heartbreaking overtime loss to Georgia Tech on Thursday night, falling 73-68 to the Yellow Jackets.

Seniors Amber Hall, Brittany Cook, Laura Haskins and A.J. Lemaitre were honored for the team's Senior Night before the Hokies took the floor in their final regular season game.

With 24.7 seconds to play, Tech freshman guard Shanel Harrison sunk two free throws to tie up the game at 62 apiece. 

"I wasn't nervous, I just tried not to think about," Harrison said.

On the Jackets' ensuing possession, the Hokies cracked down on defense and forced two missed shots from Georgia Tech's Brigitte Ardossi to force the game into the extra session.

Hokies won the overtime tip and Lindsay Biggs nailed a pull-up jumper to put them in front 64-62.  However, that would prove to be the last lead the Hokies saw.  Georgia Tech, capitalizing from the free throw line and off Virginia Tech turnovers, was able to pull off the five-point win.

The Hokies started out with the upper hand, as junior forward Utahya Drye sunk a long two for the games first points, but the Yellow Jackets quickly recovered and gained control of the game.

Sophomore guard Alex Montgomery led the Jackets on a 13-2 run five minutes into the contest. Montgomery dominated the first half; putting up eight points to go along with her six rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals.

Drye, the team leader in points, worked with sophomore guard Nikki Davis to lead a Hokie run, bringing the deficit down to just two.  Davis played exceptionally well on defense in the first half, recording a career-high five steals in the first fourteen minutes of play.

"I have a lot of respect for Drye," said Georgia Tech head coach Machelle Joseph. "She gave an extra effort for thos four seniors out there and made several clutch shots."

Haskins made her last regular season game as a Hokie one for the record books. With just over five minutes to play in the half, the senior guard gunned a half court pass to Harrison on a cut to the basket for an easy lay-up. The assist tied Haskins with Sandy Barry for fourth place among Tech's all-time assist leaders.

However, Montgomery and Georgia Tech were able to stave off any further Hokie advances and head into the half with a comfortable 31-22 lead.

Despite putting up impressive first half numbers, Montgomery couldn't find her way around the Hokie defenders in the second half. Virginia Tech held the team's point leader to no field goals the first fifteen minutes of the second half and she eventually fouled out with 2:05 to play and with 13 points to her credit.

The absence of Montgomery didn't slow down the Jackets' offense. Sophomore Iasia Hemingway and senior Jacqua Williams helped pick up the slack, contributing 27 combined points to the effort. Behind the impressive play of two guards, Georgia Tech maintained its dominance for much of the half.

But Drye and the Hokies responded late. Tech cut the deficit to just a four point game at the two minute mark; thanks in part to Biggs, who came up big for the Hokies in the second half. The junior posted nine points in the half to help lead the Virginia Tech charge alongside Drye, who finished with a game-high 24.

"I've been going to the gym early to practice my shots," said Drye on her performance. "Tonight, I was able to knock down the shots I've been practicing."

Center Brittany Gordon had yet another stellar night on the boards. The sophomore from Maryland grabbed 11 rebounds -- the fourth time in the past five games she's posted double-figures in rebounds.

With the loss, the Hokies fall to 2-13 in the ACC this season. However, head coach Beth Dunkenberger feels that tonight's loss was a positive step as they head into the ACC tournament in Greensboro next weekend.

"This was a great learning experience," Dunkenberger said. "They certainly have to do some things better to make a run for it down in Greensboro, though.