BLACKSBURG – Following Sunday's victory over North Carolina, the Virginia Tech women's basketball program sits at 7-5 in the league, their best mark ever and 17-6 overall. But with so much in front of them, head coach Kenny Brooks has kept the squad focused on what's ahead of them in the final six games of the regular season.
"It's all a part of the process and where we want to go and where we want to be," Brooks told Bryant Johnson postgame. "Obviously, those goals in mind, we're going to break records like this. You know, I'm very happy, it's not something that was the goal. I'm very proud of these kids, it's a tremendous win for us. These kids are special, so hopefully we can continue this journey and get better and better."
Tech's next text is against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
GAME INFORMATION
Virginia Tech vs. Georgia Tech
Thursday, February 13 – 7 PM
ACC Network Extra
- Jon Laaser (Play-by-play)
- Mack McCarthy (Color analyst)
- Evan Hughes (Sideline)
Down the stretch, sophomore guard Dara Mabrey closed out the game from the free throw line going 12 for 12 the most conversions without a miss in ACC play this season.
"Dara is a really good free throw shooter and we want to get the ball in her hand and we did so. We executed that, we got the ball to her and she sealed the deal."
Mabrey finished the game with a team-high 18 points that included two of her trademark 3-pointers, vaulting her to eighth all-time at Virginia Tech.
Her backcourt mate Aisha Sheppard carved out a piece of history for herself, becoming just the third woman in program history to record 200 3-pointers. She now stands at second place all-time in that category.
2️⃣0️⃣1️⃣ and counting 📈@____blessed2 👌🎯🥶#Hokies 🦃 pic.twitter.com/nNR5wAJRgs
— Virginia Tech Women's Basketball (@HokiesWBB) February 11, 2020
Freshman Elizabeth Kitley recorded 17 points against the Heels on an efficient 10 shots and fouled out UNC center Janelle Bailey, one of two players in the league that averages a double-double with five minutes left in the game.
"She was unbelievable," Brooks said. "She and I had a little workout session, Saturday morning and we just talked about simplifying some of the things, catching the basketball and getting to her sweet spot and she did it tonight. She did a really good job, I was really proud of her. We really went to her in that second half."
THE YELLOW JACKETS
Georgia Tech enters 16-8 (7-6) following consecutive victories over Pitt (77-48) and Wake Forest (62-52) last week.
Forward Francesca Pan leads the squad at 12.0 points per game, while Jasmine Carson (11.6) and Lorela Cubaj (10.6) also average in double figures.
The Yellow Jackets are led by first year head coach Nell Fortner who is a former National Coach of the Year and USA National Team coach.
NEXT TIME ON THE HARDWOOD
•Tech will head to Winston-Salem, North Carolina to take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at 2 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.
•The Hokies lead the all-time series 15-13 and have won five of the last six.
•The two clubs met twice last season, in back-to-back games as the Deacons traveled to Cassell Coliseum for the final game of the regular season, a 69-57 triumph for Tech. The next week, the two were matched up in the first round of the ACC Tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum, a game that Tech won handedly 85-63. Taylor Emery scored 26 points and forwards Regan Magarity (22 points, 14 rebounds) and Trinity Baptiste (12 points, 15 rebounds) both recorded double-doubles.
NEXT TIME ON CARILION CLINIC COURT
•The Hokies are back at Cassell Coliseum on Sunday, February 23 to play host to the Virginia Cavaliers. Tipoff on ACC Network Extra is set for 7 p.m.
•In the season's first meeting, Tech earned a 69-61 victory at John Paul Jones Arena behind a balanced offensive attack that saw all five starters record double figures. Dara Mabrey led the squad with 15 points, including a memorable 3-pointer from the logo as the shot clock wound down from an out of bounds play under the basket. The Hokies outrebounded the Cavaliers 41-30 and went 18-22 from the free throw line.
•That game will be Senior Day for the program as they recognize those graduates who have made contributions to the program.