Box Score Although the Lady Hornets were able to go on a second-half run, turnovers still hurt as the Alabama State women's basketball team, was defeated by the Yellow Jackets, 99-58, at the McCamish Pavilion Saturday during the first round of the Georgia Tech Holiday Classic.
 
"We had a lot of turnovers and we just have to do a better job of protecting the ball," head Coach Freda Freeman-Jackson.  "We just didn't do what we needed to do and we just didn't handle the press well.  All the turnovers didn't just come from the point guard they also came from the forwards.  Making passes and not reading the defense and not reading certain situations and making good passes, Georgia Tech is long.  All these things are correctable."
 
The Lady Hornets (6-4) were unable to overcome five Georgia Tech players that were in double figures.  The charge was led by Kaela Davis and Dawnn Maye with 18 points apiece.  All American Candidate Tyaunna Marshall had 16 points leading the team on the boards with nine.  Katarina Vuckovic added 11 and Sydney Wallace fell in with 10 for the Yellow Jacket victory.
 
"Georgia Tech is an outstanding ball club being ranked #23 in the nation," Freeman-Jackson, said.  "They have some outstanding players, the Marshall young lady is a potential all American and they have a number one player in the nation on the team.  Davis is a great player as well. We as coaches are a little upset because with the experience that we have we should have played better.  They pressed us during the whole game and we prepared for this, but didn't do what we needed to do."
 
Sophomore Jasmine Peeples and freshman Daniele Ewert were Alabama State's leading scorers both having 11 points apiece, while freshmen Kayla Tucker had nine and Brittney Wright added in eight with a career high of 12 rebounds.
 
"I thought the younger players on the team played really well tonight," said Freeman-Jackson.  "They weren't affected about them (Georgia Tech) being bigger and faster, the girls played smart and played tough.  Especially Ewert who played 28 minutes tonight and had 11 points and five rebounds, Kayla Tucker came in and did an outstanding job for us.  She went 3-7 and ended up with nine points.  Brittney Wright also played well with 12 rebounds and eight points.  We were really pleased of these girls tonight."
 
Wright was the first Lady Hornet to score after the Yellow Jackets had advanced 15 points (17-2) with 14:51 left in the first half.  Alabama State was not able to get another point until the 9:32 mark off a lay-up from Quentori Alford.  After that the Lady Hornets would continue to go on its surge chipping away at the Georgia Tech points, cutting a once 30 point to at least 24.  The Yellow Jackets went on to keep a 36 point lead heading into the half (54-18).

Nakiya Smith came out scoring the first bucket in the second half for the Lady Hornets sparking the Alabama State scoring.  When the Lady Hornets scored, the Yellow Jackets would answer.  The momentum swung back and forth for both teams.  Alabama State was still not able to cut the 41 point deficit to close the game out.
 
The Lady Hornets will return to the court Monday, December 30 at noon, facing the Brown Bears in the final round of the Georgia Tech Holiday Classic
 
"Brown has a good team," Freeman-Jackson said.   "Their play is similar to Samford, Brown also has a few players that are really good.  We just have to do what we need to do and play our game I think that we will have a better chance of winning tomorrow."