Hokies look to advance to the sweet 16 with upset against baylor

Jay Winters

March 21, 2021

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS — Virginia Tech has the chance to shock the women’s basketball world and make history on Tuesday night, where a win could push the Hokies to their second ever Sweet 16 appearance.

The Hokies escaped Sunday’s contest against Marquette 70-63, after a valiant effort by the Golden Eagles fell just short after going down 15 points in the fourth quarter.

Elizabeth Kitley knocked down whatever she shot wanted in the paint, finishing with 23 points and eight rebounds, while also finding her teammates on multiple occasions, accounting for four assists.

One of the encouraging and concerning aspects of Tech’s win was its ability to play without a ton of production from its leading scorer, Aisha Sheppard, who finished with just seven points.

All seven Hokies who saw action scored as Azana Baines and Georgia Amoore joined Kitley in double figures.

In the way of the Hokies are the No. 2-seeded Baylor Bears, coming off a blowout 101-52 win over Jackson State.

Five different Lady Bears scored in double digits, led by a season-high 24 points from guard Moon Ursin.

Baylor is currently riding a 17-game win streak, including the Big 12 Tournament Championship, and are defending its National Championship from 2019.

Tuesday’s Round of 32 contest will be the first meeting between the two programs, and Tech’s fourth all-time matchup with a second seed.

Virginia Tech Keys to the Game: Match the Lady Bear’s Guard Play

Baylor is led by two experienced guards in seniors Didi Richards and Moon Ursin, and if the Hokies want to stay close in this game, they’ll need stellar production out of Georgia Amoore and Aisha Sheppard.

Amoore has peaked at the right time, averaging just under 16 points in her last four games, while Sheppard hasn’t been at her best due to a tweaked ankle. Even with the injury, she’s still averaging 8.5 per game.

If these two can stay with or outplay Richards and Ursin, combined with the dominant play from Elizabeth Kitley in the post, the Hokies have a decent shot to upset Baylor.

Baylor Keys to the Game: Play to your Strengths

Baylor was number one in the Big 12 in two critical categories that could frustrate the Hokies: rebounding and three-point defense.

The Lady Bears have a +19.1 rebounding margin, which is first in the country, and hold opposing teams to just 26% from three. If Baylor limits the second chance opportunities while limiting Tech’s shooting from the outside, it has a chance to win by a significant margin.

Virginia Tech Player to Watch: Aisha Sheppard

The better the opponent is, the more Sheppard has shined. Sheppard has waited four years to be part of the big dance, and no moment would be bigger for her than to upset a team like Baylor.

Averaging just under 18 a game, Sheppard has been quiet for the last three games due to that tweaked ankle, but watch out for her to jump out of the gates come Tuesday.

Baylor Player to Watch: Didi Richards

Richards has been the engine that has driven Baylor all season, and is one of the key reasons it is 25-2.

While she doesn’t score a ton of points (6.7 average), Richards does everything else from defending, passing, and becoming a senior leader on and off the floor. Richards is third in the country in total assists, and top-25 in assist to turnover ratio, and where she goes, Baylor goes.

Score Prediction: Baylor 80, Virginia Tech 70

This is going to be a game of strengths versus strengths, but expect Baylor to come out on top.

The Lady Bears boast the best scoring offense and defense in the Big 12, both of which are top-15 in the country, and it will be hard for the Hokies to keep up, unless they catch fire from three.

Experienced guard combos have been a recipe for national championships in the past, and the duo of Richards and Ursin pose a tough matchup for Tech. They both can score, lock up on defense and very rarely turn the ball over.

Add in the Stanford transfer DiJonai Carrington, who is Baylor’s second leading scorer on the team off the bench, and Tech could be in for a very long night.