There are multiple ways to skin a cat. Virginia Tech continued to learn a valuable lesson last month in March. On Sunday in the Super Bowl, No. 16 Virginia Tech defeated the Boston College Eagles 74-63 in a physical basketball game in front of a sold-out crowd at Cassell Coliseum.
The presence of fans in Sunday's Super Bowl against a team below B.C..500 also went unnoticed.
“I didn't expect a game like this to be played on a Sunday with a big event like the Super Bowl. But it's great to see them come out with energy. BC made that run. We got it down to nine points, but the noise got really loud and pushed us over the edge. That really makes a difference in the game,” Georgia Amoore said after the game.
From the lines of fans waiting to enter the arena 90 minutes before tipoff to the throngs of Hokie fans waiting for autographs after the game, Elizabeth Kitley and Georgia Amoore are becoming legends in Blacksburg with every game. has been acquired. On Sunday afternoon, the dynamic duo scored 50 of Tech's 74 points, shooting 56 percent from the floor.
After the game, head coach Kenny Brooks said he felt Kitley and Amoore's impact was comparable to the great players they should have in the maroon and orange.
“I've been a fan of technology since the days when Dell Curry was doing what he did for this school with Michael Vick and what he did for this school. These two kids. are doing the same thing in different sports, but they're like Cher and Madonna, you have Liz, you have Georgia. I'm so proud to be their coach. '' Kenny Brooks said after the game.
Against No. 3 North Carolina State, Virginia Tech got the job done with a 3-pointer when it mattered most. It wasn't the same story against the Eagles on Sunday, as Tech shot 27% from behind the 3-point range. Kayla King and Matilda Ek were a combined 8-20 in downtown Reynolds, but 5-25 in three games in Cassel.
Even after such a cold shooting game, Brooks still believes in King and Ek's shooting talent.
“I watch them take shots every day, and when the shot leaves their hands, you know if it's going in or not,” Brooks said. “I wish Kayla would have made 20 3-pointers. That's because of how much confidence we all have in Kayla, and the same goes for Matilda. I hope she keeps shooting.”
In addition to scrambling for 3-points, Tech turned the ball over at an unusual rate. The Hokies committed 17 errors of their own, but only forced eight turnovers from Boston College in the game.
“When we weren't taking shots, the whole offensive posture changed. We wanted to limit turnovers, especially live-ball turnovers,” Brooks said. “They practice every day doing crazy things and playing junk defense that throws them off their rhythm, and we kind of expected that. If we stepped up and… If we can knock down shots, the 17 turnovers aren't even a factor.”
Despite the called shots and high turnover rate, Tech was able to perform just as well against the Eagles, and it was most evident in the rebounding department. Virginia Tech grabbed his 20 offensive rebounds and scored +22 on the glass overall, outscoring the Eagles 51-29 on the boards.
In addition to Kitley's game-high 15 rebounds, Oliva Zumiel and Clara Strzok were also active. Zumiel had 11 rebounds in a hard-fought effort, and Strzok himself had six total rebounds. The play of Sumiel, a transfer from Wake Forest, and Strzok, a true freshman, contributed to Tech's seven-game winning streak.
“These two guys understood their value and what they needed to do and stepped up for us. They gave us a second chance, defended us the way we were supposed to defend them, and defended them the way we were supposed to defend them. He did a great job of taking pressure off Liz by rebounding the basketball,” Brooks said.
Throughout the course of the game, Boston College forced Virginia Tech to be physical, but the Hokies were ready for it every step of the way. There were many questionable calls, but none were directed at the head of Liz Kitley, who drew a total of 12 fouls in the game.
Kenny Brooks was very dissatisfied with the way the game went and was harshly critical of the officiating for this game and the current state of officiating in women's college basketball in general.
“If you want the game to grow, the game has to get better and cleaner. It's frustrating when she comes out with a bump on her head and no one's doing anything about it.” '' Brooks said. “The game is supposed to protect certain areas, and we have to enforce that. Even if all the tall girls don't go play volleyball.”
Kitley is known for drawing double teams at a high rate, and Sunday afternoon's game against Boston College was no different. Despite the foul controversy, Kitley finished with 24 points and 15 rebounds on 9-for-14 shooting and 4-for-7 from distance. Georgia Amoore finished the game with 26 points on 9-for-18 shooting from the field.
Virginia Tech won seven straight games in the ACC, trailing Boston College by 11 points, and advanced to 11-2 in the ACC and 20-4 overall, leading the conference. The Hokies will be in Blacksburg this week, with Tech hosting Duke in town for a rematch of the last time the Hokies lost a game. Tech vs Duke is expected this Thursday at 8pm on his ACC Network at Cassell Coliseum.
