By Jimmy Robertson
GREENSBORO, N.C. – With precious seconds ticking off the clock, Taylor Emery rushed down the court, collected herself and buried a contested 3-pointer just as the horn sounded.
Then she let out a frustrated yell, one that came with a pained look on her face.
That's because she and her teammates came up a point short. Virginia Tech fell to Clemson 80-79 in overtime, a defeat that ended its stay at the ACC Tournament here at the Greensboro Coliseum.
"You know what's crazy?" Emery said after the game. "I still feel the Louisville loss from last year [a 73-70 ACC Tournament loss]. So I think this is going to stick with me for a while."
Coaches often say every possession matters, and in Thursday evening's war with Clemson, every possession truly matter. Tech led after an Emery 3-pointer with 20 seconds left in regulation, but couldn't get a stop on the other end, as Kobi Thornton scored with 10.7 seconds to go to tie the game at 71. Then, with a chance to win it, Emery turned the ball over on a rather physical play at the end of regulation, sending the game into overtime.
Physical play stood as the theme for this one, as both teams played with an intensity befitting of a conference tournament. The officials called 42 fouls, but for the most part, let them play – to say the least. There was certainly no room for the faint of heart in this game.
Of course, Clemson likes to play that way. With its deep bench, Clemson presses full court pretty much the entire game. The Tigers challenge people, maybe a little too aggressively at times, force turnovers and play all 94 feet. A lot of time, their style lacks fluidity. As Virginia Tech head coach Kenny Brooks said after the game, the Tigers like to "muck the game up."
Wary of league chastisement, Brooks was diplomatic in his comments on the officiating after the game.
"I thought there were some situations where we could have been taken care of," he said. "We went to the hole a lot and got banged up a little bit. You lose a loose ball because you get held or grabbed a little bit. It's unfortunate."
The loss overshadowed an incredible performance by Emery, who scored a career-high 35 points, including the Hokies' final 17 in regulation. She came one point short – how fitting on this evening? – of breaking Brittany Cook's school record of 36 points set in 2008.
The Hokies trailed by five early in the fourth period and had nothing going offensively until Emery took over. Her 3-pointer with 4:35 remaining in regulation pulled Tech to 64-63, and then she hit a jumper and got fouled, making the free throw to give the Hokies a 66-64 edge with 4:05 to go.
Fans saw the passion of Emery after that play, as she yelled and punched the air. She refused to let Tech simply wilt down the stretch.
"I'm a senior," Emery said. "I told the team, 'I'm going to carry us, so get me the ball, and I'll make it happen.' And they trusted me."
"She played like a senior with her hair on fire," Clemson head coach Amanda Butler said in admiration following the game. "That's the sort of urgency that you expect to see from your seniors. She deserves a lot of credit."
Unfortunately, it wasn't enough, and the loss probably relegates the Hokies to the WNIT for the fourth consecutive year. Brooks seemed resigned to that afterward, citing the Hokies' injuries – Rachel Camp, Alexis Jean and Michelle Berry, who didn't play this season – and all their close losses as evidence for probably not receiving an invitation to the Dance.
Thursday's loss, after all, marked the Hokies' third by two points or less. Or in other terms – by one possession.
"We're probably one or two games from being an NCAA-caliber team," a dejected Brooks said outside of the Hokies' locker room after the game. "It does sting because I wanted these kids to go out and experience it [the NCAA Tournament]. I really felt like, if we got to the NCAA Tournament, we'd be able to advance because we're that good of a basketball team."
Adding to the agony, the Hokies now get to play the dreaded waiting game. They won't officially find out about their postseason destination for another 10 days. Brooks planned to give the players some time off over the next week, which marks Tech's spring break.
None of them had made any plans, of course – other than being in a gym. Though disheartened after Thursday's loss, rest assured, they will find a way to bounce back, regardless of the next opponent, the game's location, or the name of the tournament.
After all, they've shown that trait throughout this season.
"I'm hoping we have a shot at the NCAA Tournament," Emery said. "But if we don't, we plan to win it all in the WNIT.
"It's my senior year. I want to keep playing as long as I can."
Here's to hoping she gets that opportunity.