Nov. 28, 2007
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IOWA CITY — It took more than a special performance to outduel University of Iowa junior Wendy Ausdemore on Wednesday. In fact, it took two spectacular efforts by Chioma Nnamaka and Janie Mitchell to carry Georgia Tech to a deceptively lopsided 76-57 women’s basketball victory inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The game was part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenege.
Ausdemore made all seven of her second-half field goal attempts, including all three three-point attempts, to score 18 points over the final 20 minutes. With 8-minutes, 15-seconds remaining, Ausdemore pulled down a defensive rebound as the Hawkeyes nursed a 50-49 lead. Over the final 7-plus minutes, Georgia Tech outscored Iowa 27-7 to improve to 5-0. The Hawkeyes are 4-2.
The Yellow Jackets scored 55 of their 76 points off turnovers and second-chance points. Iowa committed 26 miscues.
“It was the turnovers,” UI Head Coach Lisa Bluder said. “Thirty-five of their points came off turnovers? Wow. Georgia Tech is a nice team. They have long arms and cover a lot of ground.”
Nnamaka scored 17 of her game-high 24 points in the final 20 minutes. Mitchell scored 11 of her 18 points in the second half with seven points and two assists coming during the final five minutes. Ausdemore led Iowa with 23 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Stacy Schlapkohl scored 11 points — nine coming in the first half.
“We gave them way too many opportunities to score,” Ausdemore said. “Twenty-six turnovers is unbelievable. We just have to take care of the ball. This was a great opportunity for us to get on the map with a win, but we can’t dwell on it. We have to move on.”
Ausdemore scored nine consecutive points from the 16:37 mark to the 14:24 mark. Her 10-foot jumper off a drive to through the middle of the lane tied the game at 40. Following a technical foul on Georgia Tech Coach MaChelle Joseph, Iowa’s Megan Skouby made both free throws, giving the Hawkeyes their first lead (42-40) since 9:19 remained in the first half.
“Wendy Ausdemore played a heck of a game,” Bluder said. “She deserved to win this game effort-wise.”
Krista VandeVenetr had eight rebounds and two assists for the Hawkeyes. Skouby added seven points with a blocked shot.
For the game, Iowa shot 42 percent from the field (21 of 50) and 78.6 percent from the line (11 of 14). During the second half Ausdemore scored 18 points and the rest of the team combined for 13 points.
Iowa returns to Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday, Dec. 2, against Detroit with a 1:05 p.m., tip-off.
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