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Published Dec 17, 2023
Matilda Ekh's 25 points propel Virginia Tech past Rutgers
Bradley Winterling
Hokie Haven intern

After a slow start, the Hokies were too much in the end for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights Sunday evening. An electric second quarter from Michigan State transfer Matilda Ekh and a special game from Georgia Amoore led the Hokies to an 84-59 victory, improving to 8-2 on the season.

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Virginia Tech struggled on the offensive side of the ball in the first quarter against the Scarlet Knights. The Hokies shot just 5-18 from the field and 1-7 from deep in the first period. Albeit two games being against top teams in the country in Iowa and LSU, Tech has struggled some in games away from Cassell Coliseum this season.

The Hokies are 2-2 in those games up to this point and have been outscored 290-275. Elizabeth Kitley and Georgia Amoore have also accounted for 64% of the points for Tech in those games, not getting as much help from the rest of the squad.

It’s not easy when the majority of the team is incoming freshmen and transfers, so it was expected that the Hokies could have some growing pains at the beginning of the season. It always takes time for new players to gel together and get comfortable with the system.

At the beginning of the second quarter at Jersey Mike’s Arena on Sunday evening, everything clicked for Tech as the Hokies caught fire from deep. The biggest story of the game was Ekh, who has been quietly heating up the past couple of games in her first season as a Hokie. Ekh had 14 points in the second quarter, shooting 4/6 from downtown, sparking a 20-1 Virginia Tech run. She finished with 25 points on the day, a season high.

Star point guard Amoore was a crucial part of the dominating run as well, netting two three pointers and assisting on five shots in that second quarter. There was a moment where Amoore had scored or assisted on 26 of the Hokies last 27 points. Amoore stayed hot in the second half, finishing with 18 points and eight assists.

Virginia Tech made 16 threes on the evening, falling just one short of their season high that occurred against Long Island, when the Hokies won 98-50. Alongside Ekh and Amoore, Olivia Summel played a large role in the Hokies’ three point eruption, going 4/4 from downtown in the second half. Summel had 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Head Hokie Kenny Brooks also got his 500th career win as a head coach tonight. After spending eight seasons with the Hokies, he now has a record of 163-76. His career record improves to 500-198.

Virginia Tech returns home to Blacksburg next and will face William & Mary on Thursday, December 21, at 2pm in Cassell Coliseum. It will be their final game before ACC play begins on December 31 against Pitt.

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FOOTBALL
Scores / Schedule
footballfootball
5 - 6
Overall Record
3 - 4
Conference Record
Finished
Duke
31
Arrow
Duke
Virginia Tech
28
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech
14
Virginia Tech
Clemson
24
Arrow
Clemson
Syracuse
38
Arrow
Syracuse
Virginia Tech
31
Virginia Tech