ATLANTA — In a commanding performance, Rusne Augustinaite delivered an impressive 23-point game, highlighted by a career-best seven successful 3-pointers, as No. 17 Georgia Tech triumphed over Rice with a score of 88-57 on Wednesday evening.

Augustinaite was instrumental in the team’s early momentum, hitting four consecutive 3-pointers during the opening five minutes of the second quarter which helped Georgia Tech secure a substantial 28-13 lead. By halftime, they had pushed the advantage to 37-18, shooting an efficient 50% from the field and hitting 6 of 12 from beyond the arc. In a stellar first half, Augustinaite converted all five of her field goal attempts, contributing 14 points to Georgia Tech’s total, whereas Rice struggled, making only 7 of 33 shots for a mere 21%.

As the third quarter drew to a close, Chazadi Wright and Tianna Thompson each sank a 3-pointer in the final minute, further widening Georgia Tech’s lead to 63-32. Augustinaite continued her shooting prowess in the fourth quarter, adding three more 3-pointers, finishing the game with an impressive 7 of 11 shooting from long range, marking the second-highest number of made 3-pointers in a game in Georgia Tech’s history. She is now second only to Sydney Wallace (who made eight in 2012) and Danielle Donehew (with eight in 1998 and 2000).

The Yellow Jackets also saw contributions from Zoesha Smith, who recorded a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds, and Tonie Morgan, who chipped in 10 points. Additionally, Dani Carnegie, recognized as the ACC rookie of the week, scored seven points for Georgia Tech (12-0). On the opposing side, Hailey Adams scored 12 points while Dominique Ennis added 10 for Rice (7-5).

Looking ahead, Georgia Tech will continue its five-game homestand with a match against No. 21 Nebraska on Saturday. Meanwhile, Rice has a break of 10 days before embarking on its conference schedule, beginning on December 29 against South Florida.