NORMAN, Okla.—In the team’s first-ever NCAA tournament appearance, the UALR women’s basketball team defeated higher-seed Georgia Tech 63-53 Sunday at Lloyd Nobel Center.  The Trojans record the most overall wins in school history with a 27-6 record and face the winner of the Oklahoma/South Dakota State game Tuesday.

“I thought it was a great game,” said head coach Joe Foley.  “I thought that we did the two things that I felt like we need to do.  I felt like we needed to handle their pressure.  I thought we did a great job of handling press, and get some good layups, and some good opportunities to score.  I thought Kim [Sitzmann] knocked down some big threes in the first half to get us going.  I thought our defensive effort was outstanding.”

Senior Kim Sitzmann recorded a season-high 21 points including tying a season-high four three-pointers.  Junior Chastity Reed recorded a double-double with 14 points and a team-high ten rebounds, while junior Shanika Butler knocked down ten points.

After Georgia Tech won the opening tip, the Yellow Jackets took a 6-0 lead on layups.  The Trojans scored the team’s first field goal at the 16:15 mark on a three-pointer by Sitzmann, before Georgia Tech answered with a three by Jasmine Blaine to extend their score to 9-3.

With 15:50 on the clock, the Trojans went on an 11-2 run including holding the Yellow Jackets to no points over two minutes to take the team’s first lead and extend it to 14-11 with 12:56 until half.

Georgia Tech scored four straight points from Bridgitte Ardossi to regain the advantage, before a three-pointer by Sitzmann followed by a steal by Butler to Britteni Williams for the layup put UALR back on top 19-15 with 10:22 on the clock.

Over the next four minutes, Sitzmann scored six points for the Trojans to four by Sasha Goodlett for the Yellow Jackets to extend UALR’s lead to 25-19 with 5:21 on the clock.

Both teams exchanged points, before two free throws by Kursh followed by a fast break layup from Sitzmann gave UALR the 32-24 lead.  In the remaining 1:17, both teams knocked down points with Sitzmann draining a three with 4.2 seconds left to give the Trojans the 35-26 half-time lead.

Sitzmann’s 18 points in the first half was the most points in a half she has scored all season.

Asriel Rolfe opened the second half with a three-pointer, before Georgia Tech put up the team’s first field goal with a put back at 18:36.  UALR outscored the Yellow Jackets seven to two over the next three minutes including four from Reed for the 45-30 lead with 14:36 remaining.

A jumper by Reed sparked a 7-2 run by the Trojans to extend the team’s lead to the largest at 52-32 with 7:48 on the clock.  A put back by Chelsea Regins sparked a 11-0 run by Georgia Tech to cut the Trojans lead to 52-42 at the 4:10 mark.

Butler for UALR and Ardossi for Georgia Tech both exchanged points with the Trojans holding the 57-47 advantage.  In the remaining 58.4 seconds, UALR scored six points to Georgia Tech’s six to win 63-53.

UALR faces the winner of the Oklahoma/South Dakota State match-up at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.