BLACKSBURG – The Virginia Tech women's basketball team utilized an 11-2 spurt to open the fourth quarter to seize control and wouldn't relent, closing out the game from the free throw line, en route to a second consecutive victory, 73-69 over the North Carolina Tar Heels.
The Hokies (9-7, 4-7), who now own back-to-back ACC wins for the first time this season, scored 12 3-point baskets in the contest but did their damage down the stretch at the foul line where they were 14 of 16 in the final 10 minutes.
"Really good win," head coach Kenny Brooks said. "At times in the game we looked exceptionally well. Executed, good energy, we played well during stretches and we've got to continue to build."
North Carolina falls to 8-7 (3-7) with the result.
The game started promisingly for Tech, who scored the first nine points of the game with buckets from Azana Baines, Elizabeth Kitley and Aisha Sheppard before Carolina got their bearings in the game. A back and forth second frame led to the Heels owning a two-point advantage at half.
In the third, the Hokies struggled shooting starting 1-11 as Carolina built its largest advantage at 45-37. But 3-pointers from Sheppard, D'asia Gregg and Cayla King closed the gap to just three.
Tech scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter to take the lead on a Sheppard 3-pointer, her fifth of the afternoon and the Hokies would never relinquish the edge.
Kitley lead all scorers with 27 points and grabbed eight rebounds and was complimented by Sheppard's 16 points and nine each from Baines and King.
Guard Petra Holesinska scored 21 for the Tar Heels.
GAME NOTES
•Virginia Tech is now 10-19 against the Tar Heels and have won four in a row in the series.
•Kenny Brooks' record moves to 95-56 at Virginia Tech and 432-178 in his career.
•Tech is 7-5 all-time on January 31 with all of those contests being conference games.
•The starting lineup of Georgia Amoore, Aisha Sheppard, Cayla King, Azana Baines and Elizabeth Kitley accounted for 68 points.
•The win gives the Hokies two regular season victories over the Tar Heels for the second season in a row.
NEXT TIME ON THE COURT
•A second meeting against the Pitt Panthers is scheduled for Thursday, February 4 at the Peterson Events Center in Pittsburgh. That game will be shown on RSN and will tip at 7 p.m.
•In the first game this season at Cassell on December 10, the Hokies earned an 88-71 victory behind a career night from Cayla King who scored 29 points on 7 for 12 shooting from beyond the arc. Pitt held an eight-point lead at the half before being held to just 23 points in the second half.
Gallery: (1-31-2021) 2021 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL vs. NORTH CAROLINA
