virginia tech-appalachian state preview

Jay Winters

December 4, 2020

BLACKSBURG, Va. - Looking to keep the hot shooting going, Virginia Tech is set to take on the Appalachian State Mountaineers Friday at 4 p.m. in Cassell Coliseum.

The Hokies are coming off a record-tying performance that saw them net 16 threes, tied for first for most in Cassell Coliseum history, en route to a 92-57 win over the George Washington Colonials.

Tech dominated every aspect of the game and was led by Aisha Sheppard, who went for 22 points and four assists while shooting 58% from the floor and knocking down five threes.

Three other Hokies posted double figures in Georgia Amoore (17), Cayla King (12) and Elizabeth Kitley, who posted her third straight double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Appalachian State is 2-0 on the year with a six-point win over Charlotte, and most recently a 10-point win over UNC Asheville.

The Mountaineers are an experienced team led by four seniors, three of which have been with the program for all four years. Pre Stanley and Michaela Porter, two of these seniors, have led App through the first two games, as Stanley averages 22.5 points, while Porter averages a double-double of 12.5 points and 11.5 rebounds.

The Hokies grinder out a 71-68 victory the last time these two teams clashed in November of 2012. The Hokies have an all time record of 12-2 over the Mountaineers, but 2012 marks the only game played this century between the two teams, as the majority of contests took place in the 1980s and 1990s.

Virginia Tech Key to the Game: Keep Pouring in the Three Ball

The Hokies have been hot all season from beyond the arc, as each game has seen an increase in the number of three-pointers Tech has made, with 12 against Richmond, 14 against Liberty and the 16 against George Washington.

Tech is second in the country in three-pointers made and first in the country in field goal percentage counting only teams who have played three or more games. Bump that minimum down to two games played and Tech only moves to sixth.

App. State Key to the Game: Score off Turnovers

One thing teams haven’t been able to take advantage of when playing Virginia Tech is scoring off of turnovers. The Hokies turned the ball over 14 times in each of the first two games and 18 times against George Washington.

The Mountaineers will most likely have to pick their poison between the three ball or Elizabeth Kitley, but if they can take advantage of turning Tech over and scoring off of those opportunities, App. State may have a chance to make it a tight game.

Virginia Tech Player to Watch: Elizabeth Kitley

Everything Virginia Tech does on offense runs through Elizabeth Kitley.

One of the reasons the Hokies have been hitting from three is the attention the sophomore garners when she gets touches in the paint, as every team has doubled and even tripled teamed her, leaving Tech’s dangerous guards wide open.

Kitley averages a double-double of 15.7 points and 13 rebounds a game, and is on the longest streak of her career with three straight double-doubles.

App. State Player to Watch: Pre Stanley

Stanley has emerged as one of the Sun Belt’s top players as the senior guard has posted monstrous stat lines in her first two games.

Against Charlotte, Stanley had 20 points, six rebounds, and seven assists, and followed up that performance with 25 points and seven rebounds against UNC Asheville. Aisha Sheppard could end up guarding Stanley, which could make for an entertaining matchup.

Score Prediction: 82-63, Virginia Tech

While it will be interesting to see how Virginia Tech handles a more experienced team, the Hokies present too many mismatches on the inside for the Mountaineers to handle.

Lainey Gosnell, the 6’1” forward, will most likely match up with Kitley, who is 6’5, unless the Mountaineers bring in taller but less experienced players like Hailey McDonald or Jackie Christ off the bench.

The Hokies have been dealing with this look all season long, and will have a multitude of three-point opportunities from kickouts, while also getting touches for Elizabeth Kitley and Aisha Jones down low.