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Higgs lifts Georgia Tech to upset of reeling Maryland

Feb 2, 2007 - 3:42 AM ATLANTA (Ticker) -- The past week has not been a great one for the defending national champion.

Fourth-ranked Maryland lost consecutive games for the first time in nearly two years as Georgia Tech captured a 77-72 Atlantic Coast Conference upset behind 26 points by Stephanie Higgs.

Last losing two games in a row from February 20-24, 2005, the Terrapins (21-3, 5-3 ACC) started sluggishly following an 84-71 loss to No. 2 North Carolina on Sunday. Plagued by 14 of its 24 turnovers in the first half, Maryland trailed, 40-27, at the break.

The Yellow Jackets extended the lead to 58-44 with 9:31 left in the second half before the Terrapins rallied, closing within 60-55 on a basket by Marissa Coleman with 6:05 left. Maryland, however, never got closer.

Higgs shot 6-of-13 from the floor and converted 13-of-16 free throws. Janie Mitchell scored 17 points and Jacqua Williams added 16 for Georgia Tech (14-8, 5-3), which finished 31-of-44 on free throws and scored 24 points off Maryland's turnovers.

The last time the Yellow Jackets beat a team ranked this high was March 7, 1992, when they edged the No. 4 Terrapins in the league tournament.

Coleman scored 17 points and Crystal Langhorne and Kristi Toliver added 13 each for Maryland, which is just 3-3 since having a 24-game winning streak snapped with an 81-62 loss at then-No. 3 Duke on January 13.