BLACKSBURG – The Virginia Tech women's basketball team closed the regular season Sunday afternoon with a third tilt against the North Carolina Tar Heels, looking to extend their program record for consecutive ACC wins and give themselves a chance at a top six seed in the ACC Tournament.
However, it was the Heels who would walk away with the 68-63 win after playing stifling defense in the second half, holding the Hokies to 18 total points.
"They executed better, they had more energy than we did, and we didn't get production from areas that we needed to get production from," head coach Kenny Brooks said postgame. "I thought Georgia Amoore did a tremendous job, didn't play like a freshman, she was the one bright spot that keep us in the game, kept us going."
The Hokies are 13-8 (8-8) heading into March.
Aisha Sheppard started the game strong and allowed the Hokies to stay close with Carolina thanks to 11 first quarter points including two 3-pointers. She would open the second quarter with another one, giving her 84 on the season and tying her own program record.
A 12-2 run in the second with buckets from Azana Baines, Amoore, Elizabeth Kitley and a three off the bench from Da'Ja Green gave the Hokies a 13-point advantage and the team would go into the half with a 45-31 advantage.
It was all North Carolina (13-9, 8-9) in the second half as they slowly closed the gap and then took the lead for good. Freshman Deja Kelly scored 22 points and Petra Holesinska added 11 including timely shot-making to lift the Heels.
Tech got a double-double from Baines, the first of her career, with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Amoore led the Hokies with 22 of her own to go with five rebounds, five assists and three steals.
GAME NOTES
•Virginia Tech is now 10-20 against the Tar Heels.
•Kenny Brooks' record moves to 99-57 at Virginia Tech and 436-179 in his career.
•Tech is 8-3 all-time on February 28 and 5-2 in conference games.
•The starting lineup of Georgia Amoore, Aisha Sheppard, Cayla King, Azana Baines and Elizabeth Kitley accounted for 56 points.
•With her three 3-pointers in the game, Aisha Sheppard tied her own program record with 84 3's in a single season.
NEXT TIME ON THE COURT
•The Hokies will head to the ACC Tournament in Greensboro, North Carolina at the Greensboro Coliseum next week. Tech's postseason begins with a matchup against the 10-seed Miami Hurricanes who beat Clemson 68-62 Sunday afternoon. In the teams' meeting this season, Tech earned a 20-point victory 75-55 in Coral Gables. Gallery: (2-28-2021) 2021 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL vs. UNC
