Tenacious defense propels Virginia Tech to Victory over Clemson

Shelton Moss

January 26, 2020

BLACKSBURG, VA. - Virginia Tech head women’s basketball coach Kenny Brooks has spoken at length about the potential of his current Hokies squad.

That potential manifested itself once again, as the Hokies put together a smothering defensive performance en route to a 71–50 victory over Clemson on Sunday afternoon in Cassell Coliseum.

The Hokies (15-4, 5-3) were led by graduate senior Taja Cole, who scored 15 points to go along with nine assists and three steals.

“Taja Cole was special all night,” Brooks said of the veteran point guard. “She had nine assists, and probably should have had 15.”

Virginia Tech limited the Tigers (7-13, 3-6) to less than 30 percent shooting (18-of-61), and forced Clemson into 14 turnovers.

“We’re a bend-but-don’t-break defensive team,” Brooks added. “We’re going to guard the paint and make it tough for you to execute.”

The game was a back-and-forth affair early on, but Tech went on an 8–0 run to stretch the lead to 21–13 late in the first quarter.

The Hokies never looked back, outscoring Clemson 19–6 in the third quarter en route to their third consecutive ACC victory.

“The kids are maturing a lot,” Brooks said. “We’re starting to play well, understand each other and know each other.”

Lydia Rivers recorded a double-double for Tech, tallying 10 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. It was her third double-double as a Hokie, first in conference play.

It was her defensive effort, however, that drew the most praise from Brooks. The graduate forward limited Kobi Thorton, Clemson’s leading scorer, to just seven points on 2-of-8 shooting from the field.

“It’s no coincidence,” Brooks said. “You come out tonight, Kobi Thornton has a tough shooting night. Who’s guarding her? Lydia Rivers.”

“In the beginning of the year, we struggled with defense,” Rivers said. “We’re starting to play together more and come together as a team.”

Late in the third quarter, Rivers emphatically rejected a layup attempt by Thornton, exciting the crowd of 1,839 dressed in maroon and orange.

“I’ve coached on the men’s side for ten years,” Brooks noted. “I don’t think I’ve seen a more impressive block. Maybe Zion [Williamson] at UVa?”

Mikayla Hayes led the for Clemson, scoring 13 points. She was the only Tiger to score in double-figures.

With the victory, Virginia Tech improved to 5–3 in ACC play, their best start since joining the conference in 2004-05. The Hokies also extended their win streak in Cassell Coliseum to 15 games, their last loss being in February of 2019 against Louisville.