Georgia Tech women’s basketball is heading into the 2026 ACC Tournament off a dominant 79-49 win over the Miami Hurricanes women’s basketball to close the regular season. The victory capped a year in which the Yellow Jackets finished 13-19 overall and 8-10 in conference play, earning the No. 11 seed in the tournament. They will face the Florida State Seminoles women’s basketball on Wednesday, March 4 at 4 pm EST at Gas South Arena in Duluth, just 30 minutes from campus.
For head coach Karen Blair, the focus is simple as the calendar turns.
“Welcome to March,” Blair said. “We finally made it to the third season where everybody kind of comes into this 0-0.”
Blair believes the location gives her team a unique opportunity. Georgia Tech posted a 10-6 record at home this season, and she wants that energy to travel north.
“We’re excited that, for us, just being in Duluth, just northeast of where we’re at here at Georgia Tech, so we’re happy to be home,” she said. “We’ve been really good at home this year, and so we’re just going to try and make this an extension of home as we go up into this ACC Tournament.”
Defense and rebounding have been the program’s identity all season, and Blair made it clear that will not change.
“The identity of this team has always been the defense and the rebounding,” she said. “That’s what we’re going to hang our hats on.”
That identity starts with senior forward Brianna “Snoop” Turnage, who has elevated herself into one of the ACC’s most dominant rebounders. Turnage recorded back-to-back 20-rebound games, including a 21-rebound performance, and has had multiple 18-rebound outings.
“There’s just some players that have a knack for rebounding,” Blair said. “I think she just tracks the ball, but she also studies it. She’ll watch film and know who takes the most shots. Do they miss short? Is it usually long? She actually studies the game to a really extreme high level.”
Blair added, “You talk about her having back-to-back 20-rebound games, a game with 21, multiple games with 18 rebounds. It’s been amazing to watch. It’s what makes her defense so good. She’s able to get those defensive rebounds and lead our break.”
Turnage’s growth has mirrored the team’s late season surge. Blair believes her senior is playing with confidence at the right time.
“You want your seniors playing their best basketball,” she said. “You want them playing with that freedom.”
On the offensive end, Talayah Walker has emerged as Georgia Tech’s go to scorer. Walker has recorded multiple 30-point games this season and is shooting 43 percent from three over the last five contests.
Blair pointed to a defining moment earlier in the season against Notre Dame Fighting Irish women’s basketball.
“It was the first time she looked at me and was like, ‘Coach, give me the ball,’” Blair said. “And I knew at that moment that we had our go to player.”
Walker’s evolution has not just been about scoring totals. She has adjusted to face guarding defenses, developed her post up game, improved her left hand, and refined her mid range reads.
“She comes in, she gets shots up early, she stays late,” Blair said. “This kid has just dedicated herself to being a premier player.”
Blair’s first full season leading the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets women’s basketball has also required adaptability. Early injuries forced her to simplify rather than overload the team with schemes.
“I learned early in November that I was going to have to keep things simple,” Blair said. “Our mantra was, let’s get really good at just a couple things instead of trying to be good at many things.”
As the season progressed into 2026, that approach began to show results. Georgia Tech started playing its best basketball in February, culminating in the 79-49 win over Miami to close the regular season.
“I thought yesterday against Miami, we took care of the basketball, and that was the difference,” Blair said. “For us to continue to be successful, we’ve got to value our possessions.”
Now, with the postseason beginning just up the road, the opportunity is clear. The record resets to 0-0. The Jackets bring a 13-19 mark into the tournament, but also momentum, defensive toughness, and a scorer who is not afraid to demand the ball in key moments.
“We’re going to treat this like home,” Blair said. “Atlanta is a sports town. I expect this tournament to be a lot of fun.”
For Georgia Tech, March is not about what the record was. It is about who they are now.
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