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Carter Hill
Editor-in-Chief
February 4, 2024
Virginia Tech's Elizabeth Kitley put up 15 points and 15 rebounds in the win over North Carolina. (Virginia Tech Athletics)
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Sheesh, another Virginia Tech-North Carolina meeting, another instant classic.
Riding a strong defensive showing, double-doubles from both Elizabeth Kitley (15 points, 15 boards) and Georgia Amoore (21 points, 11 assists) and timely late-game shots, the 17th-ranked Hokies (18-4, 9-2 ACC) secured their fifth consecutive victory over the 24th-ranked Tar Heels (15-8, 7-4) in a 70-61 overtime win on Sunday afternoon inside Carmichael Arena.
It all comes in the same building that Kitley hit a game-winning jumper to beat the buzzer in a 61-59 victory a season ago, showcasing what had transpired before and foreshadowing what was to come.
“Really good win for us,” Tech eighth-year head coach Kenny Brooks said. “Very proud of my kids, the way that they came out. It wasn’t always pretty, they’ll be the first to admit that, but it was a very resilient effort by everyone.
“… Proud of the group. This win will go a long way.”
That it will, particularly when it wasn’t the shiniest of performances.
Tech shot the ball just 33.8% (24-of-71) over the course of the contest, hitting just 34.3% (12-of-35) of its shots from the outside and turning it over a whopping 17 times.
On the flip side, the Hokies limited Carolina to a similar 21-of-66 (31.8%) shooting and 5-of-15 (33.3%) from three. Not only that, Tech got stops when it counted, too.
The Tar Heels went just 1-of-8 (12.5%) from the floor in the overtime frame, and found themselves at just 23.3% (7-of-30) at the halftime break.
“A lot of it is our length,” Brooks said. “We’re not going to get out and trap you and we don’t have a lockdown defender on our team, but collectively, we play as a group and we rely on each other to help and put people in positions. And then we’re going to contest shots and rebound the basketball.
“That’s our philosophy, has been from Day One, and the kids are starting to figure out their roles in it.”
Though both Kitley and Amoore both led the way, the Hokies got significant contributions out of sharpshooter Matilda Ekh, too.
The former Michigan State Spartan racked up 14 points in the nine-point win, knocking down four shots from the outside, with two coming in the extra five minutes to help ignite Tech out in front the rest of the way.
“She’s just definitely getting comfortable,” Amoore said. “And I think a lot of us, we really try and place emphasis for her to keep shooting. Tilly’s one of those girls I think that her confidence goes as her shot goes. I think earlier this year she wasn’t really making as many as she wished and I think it kind of toned her out a little.
“But she’s hitting big shots for us and it’s carrying over her confidence into other aspects of her game.”
Both Cayla King and Carleigh Wenzel each added six points with two triples apiece, while Olivia Summiel put up five and Clara Strack scored three in 22 minutes on the floor.
Carolina’s Deja Kelly ripped off a game-high 26 points, but for the most part, beyond that, the Tar Heels were fairly limited.
Standout guards Lexi Donarski (12 points) and Alyssa Ustby (10) were the only two scorers to enter double figures, with the remaining six to see the floor only putting up 13 combined.
On top of that, the Hokies also fairly controlled the boards. Tech outrebounded North Carolina 52-40, with the Tar Heels getting outmuscled on the glass 31-19 after the half.
“[That] was huge for us,” Brooks said. “The last few games, we knew Syracuse and Virginia were two of the better offensive rebounding teams in the conference and we knew North Carolina had the ability to do the same.
“And the way that we’ve been able to essentially dominate the boards in those three games this past week has really helped put us over the top. It’s a big thing in what we do.”
Though a back-and-forth battle all afternoon long, it always felt as if the Hokies had responded well.
After losing the lead at the end of regulation on an Indya Nivar layup with just over 30 seconds to go, Tech opened overtime hot.
Ekh knocked down her first of two late-game treys, and after the two teams traded free throws, both Amoore and Ekh hit two more threes on back-t0-back possessions.
With 1:21 to go, Tech all of a sudden led 64-57, and it wouldn’t look back from there.
Now, just like that, after five straight wins, the Hokies are sitting pretty at 9-2 in conference play.
That’s good for sole possession of second place in the ACC, and though the schedule certainly doesn’t get any easier with No. 5 NC State up next (Thursday, 8 p.m. ET, ACC Network), it’s hard to ask to be in a better position this time of year.
“Getting this win is massive,” Kitley said. “Obviously, in the ACC we’re going to have big game after big game, so the carryover will be really important.”
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