Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG, Va. – Behind the combined effort of freshmen Nia Evans (Decatur, Ga.) and Monet Tellier (Charlotte, N.C.), Virginia Tech was able to recover from a slow start and erase a late six-point first-half deficit and cruise to a 68-54 victory over Radford on Tuesday night at Cassell Coliseum.
Evans notched her first career double-double with season-highs of 16 points and 12 rebounds, seven offensive, while also adding a season-high tying three steals in just 23 minutes of work. Tellier, who had just been named ACC Co-Rookie of the Week, continued her strong play with a season-high 17 points, on 7-of-11 from the floor, and a season-high four steals in 25 minutes.
“I am very proud of the performance by Nia Evans, with her first career double-double and some career highs,” said Virginia Tech Head Coach Beth Dunkenberger. “I told her that I wanted 14 points and 14 rebounds for Christmas and that was my number. She stepped up with 16 and 12. It’s close, so I am going to give her a pass on the two extra rebounds since she came up with two extra points.
“To see our two rookies step up and lead us with a combined 33 points, that was nice. I’m glad to see some players step up and take some pressure off (Shanel Harrison).”
After starting the game 0-for-6 from the floor with six turnovers through almost the game’s first six minutes, the Hokies saw themselves down just 6-2 before Brittany Gordon (Sr., Howard County, Md.) scored the first Virginia Tech basket of the night. She ended the game with season-highs of six points, nine rebounds and tied a career-high with three blocks.
Evans followed with back-to-back offensive put backs and the Hokies led by three.
“We were a little sloppier than I would have preferred at the beginning. But I am pleased at the way we were able to make a run,” said Dunkenberger. “I thought when we were able to take care of the ball and hang on to it, we were able to do some good things.
“I think our lack of patience and our inability to hang on to the ball was the problem early on. I give credit to Radford, because they played hard defensively and we needed to step up.”
Radford (3-8) was still down three at 11-8 before the Highlanders held the Hokies scoreless for five minutes as they built a six point lead with a 9-0 run. Erica Rivers scored all of her five first half points in the span and ended the game with 11 points off the bench.
Evans ended the Virginia Tech drought with a basket and free throw, but the Hokies still trailed 19-14 with five minutes left in the half. Tech closed the half with a 14-2 run as Aerial Wilson (So., Cocoa, Fla.) scored four points, all from the foul line, Nikki Davis (Sr., Lexington, Ky.) hit a three and Gordon chipped in three points during the stretch.
The Highlanders hit the first two baskets after the break to cut their deficit to three and were still down three after Kahealani Vick knocked down a pair of foul shots at the 18:10 mark of the second half.
However, a 16-4 run over the next eight minutes pushed the Tech advantage into double figures. Evans scored six in the run, which was highlighted by her effort at the 11:50 mark when she blocked Ashley Buckhannon’s shot, grabbed the rebound, raced to the other end and scored with a lay-up. On the play she set her season-high for both points and rebounds.
“I really didn’t think that I was going to block the shot, but I got it and just kept going,” said Evans about the play. “As I was going in, I was actually thinking about, in practice, when we do hook layups, and we just focus on our lay-ups.”
After the Highlanders cut the deficit to 11, Tellier, who scored 13 of her points after the break, scored seven points including just her third three of the season, and Alyssa Fenyn (So., Newark, N.Y.) added four to push the home team’s lead to 18. Fenyn added eight rebounds to her eight points.
“In the first half, I wasn’t letting the game come to me, I was kind of rushing things,” said Tellier. “In the second half, I started slowing down and playing better defense. I got a steal and that kind of pumped me up.
“The coaches have confidence in all of us and tell us ‘If you’re open, then shoot it,’” she said in reference to her three-point shot. “So I just had my feet ready to shoot and I drained it.”
Then Shanel Harrison (So., Washington, D.C), who tied her season-high with nine rebounds, scored on a steal and fast-break lay-up with 3:50 lead in the game to increase the lead to 59-39, all but putting the game away.
Virginia Tech (7-4) hit a season-high 22 foul shots and outrebounded Radford 50-34. That total included 20 on the offensive side as the Hokies held a 36-22 edge in points in the paint.
“On Saturday, we actually had a very slow first half in getting to the foul line,” said Dunkenberger. “That is one of the things we addressed, that we needed to get there. We needed to be a little more aggressive offensively.
“In this game, I thought we did a good job of attacking. Once our defense starting clicking for us we were able to run and get on the foul line.”
Despite turning the ball over a season-high 26 times, the Hokies recorded 16 steals, one shy of their season high. Wilson notched a career-high five to go along with seven points and a game-high three assists.
Virginia Tech will take a week off before returning to action and hosting the Hilton Garden Hokie Classic on Dec. 29-30.