Virginia Tech Hokies Women’s Basketball Downs Bucknell: 67-41

Nov 13, 2022 - 10:24 PM

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Still Getting Used to Each Other

It was a rainy and rapidly cooling evening in Blacksburg as Bucknell Bison took to the Carilion Court in good ole Cassell Coliseum. No game is a completely sure thing, and Bucknell had been hanging around Blacksburg for a day or two before the event. They were spotted attending the men’s game on Thursday.

The game started off with a nice 3-pointer from Junior Point Guard Georgia Amoore, and Bucknell never passed the Hokies. They got within a bucket a few times, but Virginia Tech held on to the lead the entire way.

It wasn’t a breeze though. The first quarter ended with Bucknell pushing hard and that afore mentioned single bucket looming over the short break. Liz Kitley dropped in a 2-point jumper with 9:47 to go to push the spread to four, and thus started a two-point trade between the teams until Cayla King drained a 3-point shot to stretch it to 5 at the 7:15 mark of the quarter. The Hokies would need every single point of that differential to stave off a small Bison rally. With the lid going on the bucket for the Hokies, and the Bison making up all but one of those five points. Eventually Kayana Traylor broke the scoreless period with a 2 pointer. Because Bucknell put the ball in the bucket seconds later. The one-point advantage stayed in place for less than a minute because Cayla King managed a bit of ball thievery and a fast break to the bucket to put the Hokies back up by 3.

The Hokies pushed their total to 28 before the Bison got off their 21 with a layup by Liz Kitley and a clutch jumper by Traylor. Center Liz Kitley would close out the first half scoring with a 2-pointer at the 46 second mark. The first half closed with the Hokies up 8, 31-23.

The second half was all about the Hokies coming back to the court under a bit more control and using defense and steady offensive pressure to build a zig-zagging 13-point advantage at the end of the 3rd quarter. Ashley Owusu accounted for the only 3-point shot in the quarter, as most of the work was done in and around the key including a pair of free throws for both Kitley and Amoore. (The ladies should go teach the men to shoot from the charity stripe.) The 3rd quarter ended with the Hokies up by a relatively comfortable 13 points, 46-33.

The fourth quarter was easily the Hokies’ best. The team kept up steady pressure, and though the shots from downtown were limited to Cayla King’s three at the 5:57 mark, the Hokies had steadily built an insurmountable 26-point lead to close out the game 67-41.

The Leader Board is Solid

Friday was Liz Kitley day. She dominated the paint, even stole a ball, and pushed most of her 22 points in from short range many times as offensive rebound opportunities. She finished with another of her double-double efforts and sprinkled in 2 assists. Georgia Amoore was the other Hokie putting up double digits with 11 points (along with 4 assists). Mostly all of it “small ball” as well.

It looks like Coach Brooks was in a subbing mood because the remainder of the team stayed in single digits with Traylor and Owusu contributing 9 points each, and Cayla King putting up 8, six of which came off of threes.

It was a good momentum building game with the team starting off a bit slowly and steadily building up momentum as they kept up the offensive pressure and excelled at defense. The team came up with seven steals and Kitley and King each blocked a shot.

Overall, it was a solid effort. The University of South Carolina, Upstate visits tomorrow. Monday the 14th before the Lady Hokies board the airplane to jet off to the Bahamas to face SEC teams, Kentucky and Mizzou, in the Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship, November 21st and 22nd. Those two teams will be a hard test for the team before they come home to close November against Longwood in the Cassell on Thanksgiving Weekend (Sunday Nov. 22nd)

Even bigger teams await in December. with the ACC season opener against Boston College in Chestnut Hill on the 7th.

See You Monday Evening

As Always!!!

GO HOKIES!!!