Amoore's record-setting night pushes No. 9 Virginia Tech past Houston Christian

By Jack Brizendine

Editor in Chief

November 17, 2023

BLACKSBURG — Prior to tipoff Thursday night in Blacksburg, No. 9 Virginia Tech awarded Elizabeth Kitley and Georgia Amoore with honorary game balls to recognize their career accolades — Kitley received four and Amoore received one.

Against Houston Christian Thursday night, Amoore made up ground against Kitley, snagging another program record with 16 assists against the Huskies.

Tech’s star point guard facilitated a record-tying point total at Cassell for Tech, as the Hokies crushed Houston Christian, 105-36.

“It just goes to show you her versatility,” Tech head coach Kenny Brooks said to reporters after the game. “She can score 31 like she did against Iowa or she can facilitate like she did tonight with 16 assists. If it had been a different kind of game, she could’ve gone for 20 [assists]. That’s the kind of player she is — she’s just really in tune to what the team needs.”

In addition to her 16 dishes, Amoore was one of six Tech players to finish with double figures in the scoring column.

Kitley paced the Hokies with 23 points, with freshman center Clara Strack following closely behind with 19. 

The pair were on the court together at times Thursday night, allowing the young center to learn from the two-time ACC Player of the Year in a live game.

“A lot of the things that she does [are] very reminiscent of Elizabeth Kitley as a freshman,” Brooks said.

The duo went 17-of-23 from the field and accounted for four blocks against the Huskies.

“I think they were complimentary of each other,” Amoore said of the pair. “We played against High Point and I think they must have messed up their hair or something because [Strack] got triple teamed and it’s kind of a taste of what’s to come.

“It causes panic and confusion. She’s already great, but if she follows in Liz’s footsteps, I think it’s an unstoppable force down low.”

Rose Micheaux finished the game with 12 points while Matilda Ekh and Cayla King both clocked in with 11 apiece to help Tech to its biggest margin of victory in program history, winning by 69 points.

“We just really walked out there and said ‘Okay, this is more about us,’ just really trying to find out who we are,” Brooks said. “We still don’t know, and I think we’re getting closer to figuring out who we are. But we didn’t say ‘Hey, this is a great game for us to do this [or a] great game for us to do that.’ And no disrespect to our opponent, but we knew that if we came up and played well, we had a chance to really shine.”

And shine the Hokies did.

Following its narrow 80-76 loss to No. 2 Iowa, Tech’s record-setting night against the Huskies, Brooks' squad proved it still deserves recognition as one of the top teams in the country with a dominant victory.

The Hokies will have another chance to flex their strength against UNC Greensboro on Monday (ACCNX, 6 p.m.) before traveling to the Cayman Islands to take on Kansas and Tulane next weekend.