BLACKSBURG – This upcoming Sunday, the Virginia Tech women's basketball team will take on No. 11 Tennessee at Carilion Clinic Court at Cassell Coliseum at 2 p.m. ET on ACC Network.
The Hokies have had a strong start to the season, appearing in the AP Top 25 for the first time since Tech got off to a 5-0 start and are poised to challenge for an ACC title and a return to the NCAA Tournament.
The Lady Vols, who are 6-0 and are coming off an impressive showing in Las Vegas by defeating two Power Five teams in Kansas (5-1) and Oklahoma State (3-3), come to Blacksburg for the first time since 2016. In that game, the Hokies won 67-63 behind three student-athetes in double figures including Sidney Cook's 14-point, 12-rebound double-double.
To find tickets to the highly-coveted matchup, click here.
1) Ranked Foe Coming to Cassell
Any time an AP Top 25 team comes to Blacksburg it's a big game, but it does rarely happen in the nonconference portion of the schedule. With the Lady Vols coming to town, it marks the first time since 2016 that a ranked team came to Cassell during nonconference play. Ironically, that team was Tennessee, too. And the last time a ranked opponent came to Cassell, it didn't end well for them, as the Hokies upset then-No. 2 NC State 83-71 this past January.
2) The Kitley Show
Arguably the best center in the nation, preseason All-ACC pick Elizabeth Kitley has lived up to the hype so far this season, earning back-to-back ACC Player of the Week honors. In the mighty ACC, which boasts four teams ranked in the AP's Top 25, Kitley is first in points (20.6), blocks (3.6), 20-point games (4), 10-rebound contests (4) and double-doubles (3).
3) Hot From Downtown
Since head coach Kenny Brooks arrived to Blacksburg, the Hokies have been strong in connecting from beyond the arc, and that rings true this year once again. Tech, which is second in the ACC in 3-point percentage (40.3%), has three players that are 2-3-4 in the league for 3-point percentage, including Cayla King (48.6%), Kayana Traylor (46.7%) and Aisha Sheppard (46.0%). They are the lone team to have three players in the top 10. Through seven games so far, Tech boasts two players that are in the top three in the league for 3-pointers made. Sheppard, who, like Kitley, is a preseason All-ACC pick, leads the ACC with triples made with 23, while King has racked up 18, which is tied for the second-most.
4) Student Appreciation Night
The game is a marquee event, with it being student appreciation night and a student giveaway taking place of Hokie socks for early arriving students. Then at halftime, the Flying Houndz Frisbee Dogs will be the act.
5) Triple Threat
Not many teams have three stars on their roster and the Hokies have just that, with three players – Georgia Amoore, Kitley and Sheppard – that were All-ACC or ACC All-Freshman last season. This year, the trio has picked up where they left off last year, with Amoore being ranked second in the league for assists per game (5.7), Kitley leading the ACC in five categories and Sheppard being tied for the most made 3s in a game this season with seven among ACC players.
6) Streaking
The Hokies have been very consistent when it comes to protecting Cassell early in the season, including so far this year with being 5-0 and winning by an average margin victory of 36.2 points per game. Tech also has put together quite the winning streak against nonconference foes at home, winning 63 straight contests dating all the way back to 2014, which is a school record.
