Forward Trinity Baptiste recorded a double-double Friday afternoon as the Virginia Tech women's basketball team earned a 60-58 victory against Belmont.
With the win, the Hokies move to 6-0 for the third time under head coach Kenny Brooks. The Bruins fall to 3-3 with the loss.
Baptiste got the ball rolling for the Hokies with her four points and two rebounds in the opening minutes of play. Tech would use that start to leap out to 11-2 run for their largest lead of the first half. Belmont would hang tough and keep it close into the end of the half with the Hokies due in large part to Maura Muensterman, who would lead the Bruins with 16 points.
Tech would use the third quarter to extend their lead as two made free throws by Taja Cole caped off a 11-3 run, giving the Hokies a nine-point lead heading into the forth.
Belmont would once again battle back as they used a 9-2 run to cut Tech's lead to two with 6:49 remaining. A timely layup by Lydia Rivers, two made free throws by Aisha Sheppard and a made three by Taylor Geiman would give the Hokies seven-point lead that the Bruins could not overtake.
Baptiste took her hot start and turned in an 11 point, 13 rebound performance for here first double-double of the season. Sheppard (18) and Mabrey (10) both finished the day in double figures, as Cole tallied a team high seven rebounds to go along with her four rebounds and two points.
GAME NOTES
- Dara Mabrey scored in double figures for the fifth time this season.
- Aisha Sheppard has scored 16 or more in every game this season. Her streak of scoring double digits in games moves to six and extends her career-long streak.
- Trinity Baptiste has recorded double figures in scoring for the third straight game. Her 13 rebounds were also a season high and the third-highest total of her career.
- Taylor Geiman tallied six points in the first game of her career
- Lydia Rivers lead Tech off bench with 7 points on 3 of 4 shooting, adding five rebounds and three assists
NEXT TIME ON THE HARDWOOD
•The Hokies continue play at the Daytona Beach Invitational with final game against Georgia on Saturday, Nov. 30 at 1:15 p.m.
NEXT TIME ON CARILION CLINIC COURT
•Tech returns to Carilion Clinic Court at Cassell Coliseum on Wednesday, December 5 to take on Purdue on ACC Network Extra. Tipoff for that contest which is a part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge is set for 7 p.m.
•Tech has won four straight in that competition.
•In the only previous meeting in 2002, the Boilermakers won 80-72 in West Lafayette, Indiana in the NCAA Tournament.