Daytona Beach Invitational to offer Hokies a challenge this weekDaytona Beach Invitational to offer Hokies a challenge this week
Women's Basketball

Daytona Beach Invitational to offer Hokies a challenge this week

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BLACKSBURG – Kenny Brooks and the 5-0 Virginia Tech women's basketball team are headed south to Daytona Florida to participate in the Daytona Beach Invitational later this week, with games against Belmont and Georgia set for Friday and Saturday afternoons.
 
Last time on the court, Tech defeated Davidson 88-68 in an up-tempo game that saw four Hokies record 17 or more points, led by guard Dara Mabrey's 18. With the win, Tech ran its at home non conference winning streak to 56 games, dating back to the 2014 season.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Virginia Tech vs. Belmont
Friday November 29th, 2019 – 1:15 p.m.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Virginia Tech vs. Georgia
Saturday November 30th, 2019 – 1:15 p.m.
 
THE BRUINS
Belmont enters the Invitational 3-2 on the season with victories over Chattanooga, UCF and Northern Kentucky. The Bruins have lost to Western Kentucky and to No. 20 Arkansas in their last outing 91-60.
 
Senior forward Ellie Harmeyer leads the team averaging a double-double with 19.8 points and 11.0 rebounds per game. She is the only Bruin to average double figures.
 
On the season, the Bruins have scored 303 points and given up 300, despite the closest game that they have been a part of being the 13-point season-opening victory. 
 
As a team, Belmont has outrebounded their opponents by 11.8 per game. The team shoots the ball at 39% from the floor, but just 28% behind the arc. They have turned the ball over at a clip of 18.6 times per game.
 
Belmont was predicted to finish first in the Ohio Valley Conference in a preseason poll of the league's coaches and sports information directors. Last season the squad went 26-7 and won the OVC, joining UConn as the only two programs in the nation to win their league four seasons in a row. 
 
They lost to South Carolina 74-52 in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
 
THE MATCHUP WITH BELMONT
The Hokies and Bruins have never met on the hardwood before. 
 
THE BULLDOGS
Georgia will head to Daytona 4-2 after Tuesday night's 67-53 home victory over USC Upstate. Junior guard Gabby Connally led three Bulldogs in double figures with 16 points in the game and senior forward Stephanie Paul tallied a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
 
On the season, Connally has been the team's most dynamic player leading the club in points (15.0) and also averaging 5.0 assists and 4.7 rebounds per contest. 
 
The Bulldogs are shooting 42% from the field and 31% from beyond the arc. As a team, Georgia is outrebounding opponents by 11 per game.
 
They have registered wins over Kennesaw State, North Carolina A&T, Mercer and the Spartans, while falling to Georgia Tech and Villanova.
 
THE MATCHUP WITH GEORGIA
Tech has not met Georgia in women's basketball since 1999, when the Bulldogs came to Cassell Coliseum and earned a 65-60 victory in the Preseason WNIT. 
 
Overall, the programs have met three times with the Bulldogs winning each time.