COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Elizabeth Kitley scored a program-record 42 points, including 18 in the fourth quarter, but the fifth-seeded Virginia Tech women's basketball team fell to No. 12 seed FGCU 84-81 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the XFINITY Center Friday.
Kitley finished the game 16-of-27 from the field, falling one made field goal shy of tying her own program record. She also went 10-of-14 from the free-throw line and added eight rebounds.
Georgia Amoore helped out with 12 points and five assists and D'asia Gregg chipped in with seven points and 11 rebounds coming off the bench.
Tech out-rebounded FGCU 40-29 in Friday's game, led by Gregg's 11 boards.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After falling behind 7-4, Virginia Tech went on a 6-0 run with 7:12 left in the first quarter, culminating in a bucket from Azana Baines, to take a 10-7 lead. The Hokies then surrendered that lead and entered the second quarter down 24-20.
Virginia Tech would cut the Eagles' lead to 36-35 before going on a 5-0 run, highlighted by a bucket from Kitley, to take a 40-36 lead. FGCU fought back, but the Hokies still enjoyed a 40-39 advantage heading into halftime. Virginia Tech was strong from deep in the second period, knocking down four 3-pointers to account for 12 of its 20 points.
The Eagles battled back to take a 62-56 lead heading into the final frame.
Virginia Tech came out of the third quarter break clicking on all cylinders, going on a 6-0 run, finished off by Kitley's layup, to even the score at 62-all with 8:38 to go in the contest. It was a back-and-forth battle down the stretch as neither team led by more than four until FGCU buried a triple to go ahead 79-74 with 28 seconds left. Tech was forced to foul the rest of the way, and the Eagles made five of their last six free throws to seal the win.
GAME NOTES
» Elizabeth Kitley's 42 points broke Tech's all-time single-game scoring record. The previous high was 36 points, set by Brittany Cook back on Feb. 11, 2008, at Miami (Fla.).
» Kitley's 42 points, 16 made field goals and 27 field goal attemps were the most by a Tech player in an NCAA Tournament game.
