No. 15 Miami women win, Georgia Tech without head coach
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Beatrice Mompremier picked up her 22nd double-double with 22 points and 16 rebounds Thursday night and No. 15 Miami rolled to a 69-56 win over Georgia Tech, which was playing its first game after coach MaChelle Joseph was suspended.
Georgia Tech officials said Wednesday Joseph was placed on leave due to a "pending personnel matter." According to Joseph's lawyer on Thursday, Joseph has not been told why she was suspended and is left to assume the action is retaliation for her concerns about gender equity matters.
Georgia Tech starters Kierra Fletcher and Francesca Pan, who combined for 21 points a game, didn't travel to the game with the team for personal reasons, according to the school.
Assistant Mark Simons handled the coaching duties for the Yellow Jackets, who had won three of four entering the game.
Miami made just 4 of 16 shots in the first quarter and trailed 14-13 but had three 3-pointers in the second quarter and rolled to a 30-22 lead. Mompremier, who played her first two years at Baylor, had 14 points to surpass 1,000 for her career, and 13 rebounds.
The Hurricanes (24-6, 12-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) made 10 of 16 shots in the third quarter and stretched the lead to 15. Mykea Gray had 12 of her 18 points in the second half.
Freshman Elizabeth Balogun paced Georgia Tech (17-11, 7-8) with 15 points.
The 49-year-old Joseph is in her 16th season, with a 311-198 record at Georgia Tech. She has the most wins in school history and has led the Yellow Jackets to 11 postseason appearances, including the WNIT each of the last four years.
