Kitley, Sheppard lead Hokies in Stomping of App. State

Topher Wagner

December 5, 2020

BLACKSBURG, Va. - Virginia Tech beat Appalachian State on Friday evening 84-59 in large part because of the phenomenal play from the duo of Aisha Sheppard and Elizabeth Kitley.

On the night that Sheppard was honored at Cassell Coliseum for reaching 1,000 career points in her Hokies career, she did not disappoint, putting on a stellar performance of 19 points and 6 assists on 55% shooting.

Kitley continued her fantastic start to the season with her fourth straight double-double and had a historic statline of 30 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks on 14 of 20 shooting. Her 30 points were only four shy of the Cassell Coliseum record and the 14 made shots tied a Virginia Tech record.

The offensive firepower that Tech displayed in the first week of the season did not slow down vs. the Mountaineers as they shot 54% from the field despite only hitting five three-pointers during the contest.

“She is the epitome of a Hokie,” Virginia Tech head coach Kenny Brooks said postgame, reflecting on Sheppard’s remarkable career in Blacksburg. “She put her trust in me and as a result, when she could have transferred, she didn’t. She stayed here and fought through adversity and learned how to get through tough times. She’s done exactly what we said she would do if she came here to be a Hokie and she’s been phenomenal.”

For the Mountaineers, senior guard Pre Stanley led a second half comeback effort with 17 points.

Midway through the third quarter, App. State cut the lead to 15 after three consecutive three-pointers and looked as if its success beyond the arc was going to help them back into the game. However, following a timeout by Brooks, the Hokies settled in on defense and pulled away down the stretch.

The Hokies started games fast all season and it was no different on Friday. Virginia Tech jumped out to an early 9-0 lead and never looked back.

Kitley’s dominant presence in the paint drove the offense early on while consistent outside shooting led the way, putting the Hokies up big in the first half. This offensive showcase was highlighted with a buzzer beater from Taylor Geiman which put Virginia Tech up 51-31 at the break.

The Mountaineers' consistent three-point attack kept them in the game for a large part of the third quarter as sharpshooter Brooke Bigott continued her dominant outside shooting, hitting four of seven from beyond the arc.

Appalachian State, though, could not overcome the Hokies’ stingy defense.

On the night, Virginia Tech finished with 11 blocks while Appalachian State only had one. Much of this came from the formidable duo of Kitley and Asiah Jones, who contributed five blocks apiece to control the Mountaineers.

“I don’t think I’ve had a kid who has taken as big a jump from year one to year two as she has,” Brooks said, complementing Kitley’s 30-point performance. “The kid is going to be special, she really is and I’ve been saying it since she walked on campus. I think she’s one of the better centers in the country.”

The Hokies will look to continue their 59 game non-conference home winning streak on Sunday against Gardner-Webb, their final contest before ACC play begins.

For Appalachian State, they have a full week off before returning home to face the Davidson Wildcats on December 11.