RALEIGH, N.C. - The No. 16 Virginia Tech Hokies journeyed south into Raleigh, North Carolina to take on the No. 3 NC State Wolfpack. It was a highly anticipated matchup, as both teams stood atop the ACC. In their last meeting which took place at Cassell Coliseum in January, Virginia Tech stunned NC State in buzzer beater fashion, winning 63-62.
Heading into this one, it was not going to be easy for the Hokies. Beating a team of this caliber twice in one season is hard enough itself. On top of that, playing in an environment like Reynolds Coliseum is a unique experience, and one of the loudest arenas to be in despite only holding 5,500. By tipoff, every single seat had someone in it, as this would be yet another sellout for NC State Women’s Basketball.
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To start off the game it was an offensive shootout between NC State junior guard Aziaha James and Virginia Tech graduate center Elizabeth Kitley. Within the first two minutes James had scored seven points on 3-3 shooting, and Kitley six also on 3-3 shooting. At the end of the quarter, it was the Hokies who had the edge by two points, 21-19.
The second quarter was just as evenly played as the first, especially offensively. The Hokies won the quarter by two points again, giving them a 37-33 lead heading into the locker room. Both teams made six field goals in the quarter, Virginia Tech on 18 shot attempts, and NC State on 17.
To open up the third quarter, the three ball was the answer for the Hokies. Michigan State transfer Matilda Ekh kicked things off with a three pointer, and veteran Cayla King followed up just 21 seconds after with one herself. Later in the quarter, three more would be tacked on. One each from Ekh, Amoore and one from Wenzel to close out the Hokies 20-11 run in the third quarter, giving them a comfortable 57-44 lead that they held onto the rest of the way, winning this one 72-61.
A key piece to this Hokie win was more than just the points. The rebounding, especially on the offensive glass, was what set up the successful offensive performance. Virginia Tech finished out-rebounding the Wolfpack 48-31 overall, and 15-5 offensively. Freshman Clara Strack had her best game in a Hokie uniform so far, totalling for eight rebounds, five offensively. In addition to the phenomenal rebounding, Strack tacked on two blocks, as well as five points. Coach Brooks had nothing but praise when talking about the Freshman. “She’s going to be very very good, and we’re excited about her development and her growth.”
Strack wasn’t the only Hokie with a night to remember. It was a historic night for veterans Georgia Amoore and Elizabeth Kitley as well. First with Amoore, she made her 300th career three in a maroon and orange uniform. The Australian guard finished her night with a near triple-double: 12 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds. Elizabeth Kitley notched her 73rd career double-double, moving her up to first place all time in ACC double-doubles. The veteran was almost unstoppable in this one, finishing with a final line of 25 points and 13 rebounds.
On top of this being a big upset win, it also helps the Hokies in ACC standings. They sit atop at 10-2 in the conference, as NC State drops to 8-3. If a tiebreaker were to come into play between the two programs, Virginia Tech’s two wins against NC State would give them the edge.
The Hokies will be back home on Sunday, February 11th, to take on Boston College at 1:00pm EST. You can catch the game on ACCNX.
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