ATLANTA — In an exciting matchup, Kara Dunn led the way for No. 17 Georgia Tech with 15 points, while Zoesha Smith successfully sank the crucial free throws in the dying seconds of the game, allowing Georgia Tech to secure a narrow 70-69 victory over SMU on Thursday evening.

Late in the third quarter, SMU managed to take the lead, with Nya Robertson hitting a three-pointer that pushed the Mustangs ahead 66-58 with just 4:53 left on the clock. However, Dunn quickly countered with six points, and Chazadi Wright’s layup brought the score to a tie at 68-68 with only 30 seconds remaining.

In the final moments of the game, Smith converted a free throw to give Georgia Tech a slight edge. A subsequent foul by Tonie Morgan set up Robertson at the foul line; she unfortunately managed to hit only one of her two attempts, concluding the game.

For Georgia Tech (19-4, 7-4 ACC), Morgan contributed significantly with 14 points. Wright followed closely with 12, while Smith tallied 11 points. Both Dunn and Smith also played a key role in rebounding, with each securing eight boards from a total of 36 team rebounds.

On the other side, TK Pitts shone for SMU (10-14, 2-10), pouring in 18 of her 19 points during the second half. Jessica Peterson had a strong performance as well, with 12 points and 15 rebounds. Robertson and Zanai Jones each chipped in with 12 points, while Kaysia Woods added 11 points of her own.

SMU’s strategy paid off as they outscored Georgia Tech 26-18 in the third quarter and held a narrow lead at 54-52. They began the fourth quarter with a strong start, going on a 6-1 run to extend their lead to seven, at 60-53, with 7:46 remaining.

This game marked the first encounter between these two programs, and it was a thrilling contest from start to finish.

Looking ahead, SMU aims to break an eight-game losing streak as they prepare to face Pittsburgh at home on Sunday, while Georgia Tech is set to take on Boston College on the same day.