Feb. 06, 2014
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ATLANTA – All senior Tyaunna Marshall needed to do was to hit two free throws.
With 4.3 seconds on the clock and the Georgia Tech women’s basketball team only up by one, 92-91, against #13/11 North Carolina, the game changing moment rested on the senior’s shoulders. But not only would these two free throws put Tech ahead by three in the final seconds of the game, forcing UNC to try and hit a game-tying shot, they would also break the Georgia Tech all-time career scoring record.
Marshall hit nothing but net on those two free throws, breaking the school record and cementing the Yellow Jackets (15-8, 5-5 ACC) first win against a ranked opponent since a victory against #17/16 Georgetown on March 20, 2012.
“I can’t say how happy I am about the fact that Ty Marshall broke the record at home like the performance she had tonight with 32 points,” head coach MaChelle Joseph said. “She became our all-time leading scorer. I don’t think it could happen to a better person – a player that has given so much to this program both on and off the floor. She has been the epitome of what our program has represented and stood for.”
Overall, Marshall scored 32 points on Thursday night, recording her third career 30 point game. Marshall also grabbed eight boards, dished out five assists, had three steals and shot 11-for-14 from the foul line. Her 32 points broke Kisha Ford’s previous record of 1,955 points which was set in 1997. When Ford, who went on to play in the WNBA, broke the school’s record in 1997, she also scored 32 points against Duke.
Marshall’s 1,956 career points moves her into 24th on the ACC’s career points list. She needs only two points to surpass Trudi Lacey’s (NC State, 1978-81)1,957 career points to move into 23rd.
“I’m just grateful,” Marshall said. “I feel blessed right now. To do it with the teammates that I have and the coaches that I have, I wouldn’t want it any other way. It’s just great. My teammates were talking about winning but they were talking about Ty, we are right behind you. We back you up. We want you to do this here, in front of Georgia Tech fans. I did it. It was great to do it with my team. Right now, it feels unbelievable.”
Freshman Kaela Davis contributed 20 points and 10 rebounds for Georgia Tech, her second consecutive double-double. Davis has six double-doubles this season. Junior Sydney Wallace added 14 points, and Aaliyah Whiteside got her first double-double of her career with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Two double-doubles from Whiteside and Davis marks the third time this season that two Jackets have each recorded a double-double in the same game.
“I thought Kaela struggled a little bit in the first half, but she had a huge second half,” Joseph said. “To finish with 20 and 10, in that kind of situation, in that kind of game is huge for a freshman. We had some great contributions with Aaliyah Whiteside with a double-double. Sydney Wallace was huge on the offensive end. I thought Nariah Taylor, with her 10 rebounds, was a huge contributor.”
The Yellow Jackets outrebounded the Tar Heels, 62-50, marking the 20th game that Tech has won the rebounding battle this season. For the first time since Jan. 27, 2010, three Jackets had double-figure rebounds: Whiteside (11), Davis (10), and Taylor (10).
North Carolina (17-6, 5-4) got 22 points and nine rebounds from Diamond DeShields, who led four Tar Heels in double figures. This was the third-straight loss for the Tar Heels and its first away loss of the season.
The Jackets hit the road this weekend, traveling to Miami on Sunday at 2 p.m. The contest against the Hurricanes will be on both ESPN3 and the Comcast Sports Southeast channel.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
