Cameron Swartz posts team-high 10 points
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – In its final regular season road game, Georgia Tech jumped out with a quick lead at No. 10 Notre Dame, but the Fighting Irish pulled away for a 76-53 win Thursday night in Purcell Pavilion.
Tech forced Notre Dame to burn an early timeout in the first quarter, holding the Fighting Irish scoreless for nearly three minutes, building an 8-0 lead. But ND kept the Jackets off the scoreboard for the next three minutes to knot the game at 8-8. Notre Dame closed the first quarter with a 7-0 run to gain a 17-12 lead after the opening 10 minutes and would extend its lead out to nine, 27-18, off a Sonia Citron triple at 6:03 in the second quarter. Notre Dame held a 33-27 halftime advantage despite Tech slicing the score to four points twice late in the period.
Notre Dame carried momentum into the second half, maintaining a comfortable lead while shooting 48.5 percent from the floor in the final two periods. The Fighting Irish opened a double-digit lead off a Maddy Westbeld bucket at the 8:11 mark in the third quarter and never relinquished control.
Cameron Swartz finished with 10 points to lead Georgia Tech offensively, while Aixa Wone Aranaz pulled down a career-best nine rebounds to led the Jackets on the glass.
Notre Dame was led by Olivia Miles with 13 points, followed by Kylee Watson and Citron each with 12. Watson finished with a double-double behind a team-high 10 rebounds.
The Fighting Irish converted 16 Georgia Tech turnovers into 20 points and outscored Tech in the paint, 44-18.
Georgia Tech plays its final regular season contest on Sunday, Feb. 26, playing host to No. 9 Virginia Tech. Tip is slated for 4 p.m. inside McCamish Pavilion and will serve as Senior Day for Georgia Tech.
