Deacons split with UVa., Georgia Tech
By Margaret McKenzie
Old Gold and Black Reporter

> February 1, 2001

The Demon Deacons narrowly missed winning consecutive games last week, defeating Georgia Tech at home but falling to Virginia in a double-overtime thriller.

It was a back and forth battle when the Demon Deacons defeated the Yellow Jackets 79-71 on Thursday Jan. 25th in the Joel Coliseum Annex. The scoring attack was well-balanced with four players recording double digits, but the Deacs were lead by senior point guard Kristen Shaffer’s 20 points.

Opening strong, the Deacons built a 10-6 lead, but then they went cold. Georgia Tech capitalized on four minutes of scoreless basketball from the Deacs, going on an 8-0 run. For the remainder of the half the Deacs played catch-up, watching the lead grow to as large as seven points. This margin came at the 8:14 mark when Sonja Mallory made a lay-up and the ensuing free throw to complete the three-point play. But the Demon Deacons fought back. With five seconds left in the half Kristen Shaffer hit a fast break layup and completed her own three-point play after the foul by Yellow Jacket Tamika Boatner. The old fashioned three secured a 34-32 Deacon lead at the half.

The Deacons entered the second half with the shooter’s touch. They shot 60.7 percent from the floor compared to only 35.9 percent for the first half. Despite stellar shooting and a strong Deacon defense that created 22 turnovers, Georgia Tech managed to creep back into the game, taking the lead with 16:28 left.

The team, according to Head Coach Charlene Curtis, “had gotten flat.” It took a fadeaway jumper by Shaffer with the shot clock winding down to shift the momentum and revitalize the Deacon offense. The 54-50 Yellow Jacket lead was quickly vanquished, as Shaffer’s shot propelled the Deacs on a 12-2 run.

“At that point I think it was back and forth, and the shot gave us confidence,” Shaffer said. “It was a momentum builder.”

Freshman Eafton Hill once again was a presence on the court, scoring eight points in the scoring run. Hill hit back-to-back turn around jump shots against her smaller defender, netting applause from even the Georgia Tech bench. “I knew I had a smaller player and that I could take advantage of it,” Hill observed. Hill finished the game with 15 points and six rebounds.

Senior Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick added 13 points and eight rebounds and Olivia Dardy scored 10 points and grabbed five rebounds for the Deacs. The two most telling statistics from the game, however, were fast break points and points off turnovers. The Deacs were expecting the press and were well prepared for it.

“We know people are going to press us to challenge our ball handling,” Coach Curtis said. “75 percent of the time [tonight] we were able to get layups against it.” The exceptional defense of freshman guard Biance Brown and the Deacons led to 25 points off turnovers compared to a mere 12 by the Yellow Jackets.

A heartbreaking double-overtime loss in Charlottesville, Va. on Jan. 28 followed the victory. The seesaw battle was highlighted by a well-balanced Deacon attack, four players scoring in double digits. Virginia, playing without star Schuye LaRue for disciplinary reasons, owned the largest lead of the first half at five points with 14:42 left. The Deacs cut this advantage down, taking the lead on an Olivia Dardy jump shot two minutes later. Over four minutes of scoreless basketball followed until Tracy Alston hit 1 of 2 from the line for the Deacons. The half closed with a Prillman shot and one-point Virginia lead.

The close game continued in the second half, and the Deacons’ aggressive play earned them a six-point lead, the largest of the game, with just under four minutes left in regulation.

“Since the Clemson game we have learned that we can play at an aggressive level instead of having it set for us,” Curtis said. “We know now that we can create our own intensity.”

But the six-point lead, created by a Shaffer three-pointer, would not stand. The Cavaliers came within three points with eight seconds left and had possession of the ball. The inbound pass from Chelsea Whitaker went to center Marcie Dickson who hit the two-point shot and was fouled by Dardy. Dickson converted on the free throw to send the game into overtime.

The Deacs scored first on a Shaffer jump shot from the top of the key. The lead was never relinquished, but in the last seconds of the first overtime Dickson grabbed a long rebound off LaRue’s missed shot and hit another clutch shot forcing a second overtime. In this final overtime LaRue scored all seven of Virginia’s points, building a 3 point lead after hitting a free throw with 3 seconds left. A last second shot by the Deacons rimmed out and Virginia narrowly escaped the upset.

“This is definitely a heart wrenching loss and a game we should have one,” Shaffer said. “But it does give us confidence going into the next ACC games.”

Eafton Hill and Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick both recorded double-doubles, with 15 points and 10 rebounds and 12 points and 11 rebounds, respectively. Senior Olivia Dardy added 10 points and 8 rebounds. The Deacons as a team out rebounded the Cavilers 59-39, leading to a 25-12 advantage in second chance points. According to Coach Curtis, “Our strength does not lie in one superstar, but in a lot of good players playing well together.”

“We have reached a point where we want to win, not just to keep it close,” Shaffer said. “We expect to win and we play that way.”

With the split, the Deacons now are 11-9 overall, and 3-6 in the ACC.

The Deacons will host ACC rival Duke on Feb. 1 in Joel Coliseum.