Atlanta, Georgia - The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets played a great game at home against the University of Connecticut Huskies, who were playing their first game since losing their best player to a severe knee injury.

The Yellow Jackets beat the third-ranked Huskies 57-44 on Thursday night for their second-straight win and also their second win of the year so far.

For UConn, this loss was the women’s basketball team’s first defeat since losing their top player, Paige Bueckers (20), to a knee injury in their game against Notre Dame this past Sunday.

Playing shorthanded, the Huskies didn’t have much of a chance against Georgia Tech from the get-go.

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It was evident from the opening tip that Bueckers’ absence made the difference as the Huskies were held to only nine first-quarter points.

Connecticut did manage to pull things together in the second quarter to go into halftime tied with the Yellow Jackets 28-28.

Both teams continued to battle to start the second half to remain knotted up at 39-39 after three.

Then came the fourth quarter, where Georgia Tech’s defense saved the best for last by holding the Huskies to their lowest point total in a quarter, at just five, to run away with the win.

Leading the way for the Yellow Jackets was senior guard Lotta-Maj Lahtinen, who was also her team’s top scorer against the Huskies.

She scored four crucial points in the fourth quarter that helped keep her team out of UConn’s reach in the closing minutes of the game.

Lahtinen finished the game shooting 4-for-12 from the field for 15 points, three rebounds, and three assists.

The Huskies lost this game while missing their biggest offensive weapon in Bueckers.

In the loss to Georgia Tech, UConn shot poorly with an 18-58 performance overall, including a dismal 2-for-15 from long-range.

Bueckers is out for 6-8 weeks, meaning that the Huskies will have to keep things together for a big chunk of their upcoming schedule without her.

And a tough loss to an unranked but good team like Georgia Tech isn’t the right way to start life without Bueckers.

On Sunday, the Yellow Jackets will stay at home to host the Furman Paladins, while on Saturday, the Huskies will head back home to take on the UCLA Bruins.