BLACKSBURG - The Virginia Tech women's basketball team is set to host the Furman Paladins at Cassell Coliseum in Thursday, March 21 in the first round of the Women's National Invitational Tournament. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. and can be seen on ACC Network Extra.
After posting an overall record of 20-11, 6-10 in the ACC, the Hokies return to the WNIT after being last year's runner-up. Tech lost in the championship game 65-57 to Indiana in Bloomington.
The Hokies will play their first game since falling to Clemson 80-79 in the second round of the ACC tournament on March 7. Virginia Tech defeated Wake Forest in the first round 85-65.
First-team All-ACC guard Taylor Emery led Tech in the tournament, averaging 30.5 points per game, including a 35-point performance in the narrow loss to Clemson.
Emery put on a show at the ACC Tournament averaging 30.5 points over two games. In the first round against Wake Forest, she led the Hokies to an easy 85-63 victory with a game high 26 points. The senior was 8 of 14 from the field and knocked down three 3-pointers in the win, head coach Kenny Brooks' 400th of his career. For an encore, Emery lit up the Greensboro Coliseum for a career best 35 points in the second round against Clemson. She set a program record for most points in the competition, breaking her own mark from a season ago and falling one shy of tying the program record for points in a single game. She tied a career high with 13 made field goals. In the second half, Emery scored 17 straight Virginia Tech points.
She became the first Hokie to ever garner first team All-ACC recognition and was also the first to be named All-Conference twice.
Emery, was joined on the All-Conference team by Regan Magarity (second team) and Dara Mabrey was named to the All-Freshman Team. The trio each also received All-ACC Academic Team honors.
GAME INFORMATION
Virginia Tech vs. Furman
March 21, 2019 - 7 p.m.
Tickets for Thursday's contest can be purchased here. Adult tickets are $10 and tickets for fans 17 and under are $5. All Virginia Tech students will get in free by presenting their Hokie Passport at the Cassell Coliseum Ticket Office.
TV
ACC Network Extra
RADIO
Virginia Tech/IMG Radio Network
LIVE STATS
Hokiesports.com
SERIES HISTORY
The Hokies and Paladins have met four times prior to Thursday's matchup. Virginia Tech is 4-0, with all four contests being played at Cassell Coliseum.
The last meeting was on Dec. 30, 2015 with the Hokies coming away with the 59-30 victory.
Notables on the Paladins
- Furman finished second in the Southern Conference this season with a 9-5 SoCon record, 19-13 overall.
- This marks the second WNIT appearance in Furman school history with their first coming in 2014.
- Guard Le'Jzae Davidson earned second-team All-SoCon honors and led the Paladins in points, averaging 16.9 per game.
- Forward Celena Taborn led the conference in field goal percentage (65.6), which helped her take home second-team All-SoCon honors.
- Furman finished the SoCon season as the top defensive team, allowing 57.3 points per game.