Va. Tech women roll past High Point
Elizabeth Kitley had 27 points and 11 rebounds to lead No. 8 Virginia Tech to a 94-55 season-opening victory over High Point on Monday in Blacksburg.
Kitley connected on 12 of 17 from the floor for the Hokies, who made 14 of their first 16 shots and never trailed. Picked to win the Atlantic Coast Conference in the preseason poll, the defending league champion used a 15-2 first-quarter run in which four players scored to pull away.
Georgia Amoore added 14 points and nine assists for Virginia Tech, which unveiled its Final Four banner in the rafters of Cassell Coliseum before the game in commemoration of the program’s first Final Four appearance last March. The players, including alumni such as Taylor Soule, also were presented with Final Four rings.
Matilda Ekh had 15 points for the Hokies, who shot 57.4% (35 of 61) from the floor and hit 11 3-pointers.
Lauren Bevis, the preseason Big South Player of the Year, and Nakyah Terrell led the Panthers with 15 points each. High Point shot just 31% (18 of 58).
The Panthers were picked to win the Big South and should be contenders with all-league talents in Bevis and Nakyah Terrell, both of whom were preseason All-Big South selections.
Virginia Tech was tuning up for a highly anticipated showdown with No. 3 Iowa on Thursday in Charlotte.
Despite losing four key pieces off last year’s team, the Hokies looked impressive in their season debut. They seem much deeper than a season ago. Coach Kenny Brooks used 10 players in the first half, with seven of them playing at least eight minutes.
More women
No. 21 Southern California 83, No. 7 Ohio
State 74: Freshman JuJu Watkins scored 32 points in her college debut.
Watkins, one of the nation’s highest regarded incoming freshmen, finished 11 of 18 from the floor with six rebounds and five assists. Rayah Marshall had 18 points and 17 rebounds for the Trojans, while McKenzie Forbes scored 11 points.
Jacy Sheldon led the Buckeyes with 28 points on 10-of-19 shooting, and Taylor Thierry scored 16.