BLACKSBURG – After facing a 12-point deficit in the second half, the Virginia Tech women's basketball team battled back to take a lead late, but ultimately fell to second-ranked Louisville 71-67 on Carilion Clinic Court at Cassell Coliseum.
Tech falls to 6-3 (1-3) on the season ahead of a trip to Atlanta to take on Georgia Tech this weekend.
The trailed 42-33 at the half despite shooting better than 44% from the field, as the Cardinals shot 50% and made one more triple than Tech did. But the third quarter belonged to Tech as they utilized a 1-3-1 zone and held the Cardinals to one field goal in over six minutes as the Hokies went on a 16-2 run to erase the deficit and take a one-point lead.
In all, the third frame saw Tech outscore the Cardinals 20-12 to trail by a single point heading into the fourth.
Down the stretch Aisha Sheppard hit a triple to take a two-point advantage with 2:26 to play, but those would be the final points scored by the team as guard Dana Evans closed the game with back-to-back baskets and Hailey Van Lith added two free throws to seal it with four seconds to play.
Louisville, (9-0, 2-0) was led by All-American Evans who scored 22 points in the contest. The Cardinals shot 48% from the field.
Sheppard once again led the Hokies with 20 points and was joined in double figures by Elizabeth Kitley who added 17 and seven rebounds.
GAME NOTES
•Virginia Tech is now 17-23 against the Cardinals.
•Kenny Brooks' record moves to 92-52 at Virginia Tech and 429-174 in his career.
•Tech is 3-10 all-time on January 7.
•Azana Baines and Da'Ja Green each made their first starts for the Hokies in the contest.
•The game was the first time in 2020-21 that Coach Brooks utilized the lineup of Green, Sheppard, Baines, Jones and Kitley to begin a game.
•Tech's starting lineup of Green, Sheppard, Baines, Jones and Kitley, accounted for 54 points.
• The Hokies held the Cardinal to their lowest scoring output of the season.
NEXT TIME ON THE COURT
•The Hokies will travel to Atlanta to take on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Sunday, January 10 for a 2 pm tipoff on ACC Network.
•Virginia Tech owns a 7-11 series lead. In last season's meeting, the Hokies outlasted the Yellow Jackets 64-61 in overtime.
Gallery: (1-7-2021) 2021 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL vs. LOUISVILLE
