It wasn't a crash out though…
It's a shame I can't start the article with a groan and a heavy sigh, but that's about all I think you can really glean from this article. In talking to people who follow the Lady Hokies, there seems to be a sense that maybe the Notre Dame game is going to be “it” of the ACC season.
The Irishman is on a tear and seems to be a favorite with analysts. And the women's basketball team has become a legitimate force to be reckoned with. The added fact that Elizabeth Kitley is definitely missing the ACC Tournament and has a closely guarded confidence in further appearances this season has finally worn down the Lady Hokies on both ends of the court.
The narrow, low-scoring victory against Miami was a preview of what the Hokies could do in this game. Even if they weren't able to hold the Irish to a similarly low score, this wasn't a game anyone could reasonably expect the Hokies to be successful in. Unfortunately, that analysis was spot on in yesterday's game.
No fancy placards on this one from Hokie Sports – (Can't blame them either.)
Greensboro and Notre Dame won the final 82-53.
— Virginia Tech Women's Basketball (@HokiesWBB) March 9, 2024
There's no point in destroying residential areas.
Normally I look at the highlights of each quarter, but in this case you don't have to. It was a close game for Tech, with the Irish leading by three points, 15-12 at the end of the first quarter, but Tech was unable to win the quarter or earn any quality points. There were only two early lead changes. beginning. Notre Dame continued to rack up points, but Tech just couldn't keep up. The Irish won easily in the third and fourth quarters, giving the Hokies a perhaps much-needed short break before NCAA Tournament tipoff.
When we cover Selection Sunday next weekend, we'll have time to dig into the finer details of how seeding is done and which regions tech companies will be seeded into, but Kitley's After all the loss and uncertainty, I personally doubt it. If she returns, Tech will be among the top 16 seeds. That's the only thing that strikes me as the most powerful possibility. If there was some positive word coming out from the organization to the committee, that might still be the case, but right now, that's not the case. Doubts are justified.
But there were some notable performances, and what's surprising (and not so surprising, she's a quiet force) is that the name of Tech's overall top performer this time around wasn't Kitley or Amoor. is.
Olivia Sumiel
Olivia Sumiel had a game to herself. Even though she lost, Zumiel showed her strength on the court with a double-double. Some wish she had taken more shots as she was wasting most of her attempts. Liv was 3 of 4 from the floor and 2 of 2 from the charity stripe (10 points), including two FGs from downtown. That pace would have definitely made a big difference in some of her offensive efforts. But that wasn't in the cards when her big offensive contribution was an outstanding 7(!) offensive rebounds. If those boards weren't enough, Liv got a total of 11 on the defensive end. Yes, that's 18 rebounds, which is quite an effort. He also blocked her shots and chased down her loose balls. She just wishes her stellar performance had a “W” in it.
georgia amoore
G continued to try to help his team and once again scored over 20 points (24 points) in the contest. It wasn't enough, and without Kitley's usual 15-20 points, the Hokies couldn't keep up with the fast-moving Irish offense.
now we are waiting
All that's left to do is wait. Selection Sunday is St. Patrick's Day, so we'll be there to cover the event. There's not much else to say other than to wish Kitley all the best with his rehabilitation and get back to 100% for the NCAA Tournament. Losing in the ACC Tournament is disappointing, but it's not the end of the world. Aside from being a surefire invitation to March His Madness, it's the perfect banner to hang on your wall, and the ring is perfect for your jewelry box. The Hokies won a marathon regular season and most of their NCAA Tournament seeding came from that effort.
