Virginia Tech keeps building, routs Duke in ACC semifinal

By Jack Brizendine

Editor in Chief

March 4, 2023

GREENSBORO, N.C. — If you build it, they will come.

For Kenny Brooks and Virginia Tech, the reverse strategy worked just as well. The Hokies head coach convinced high-level recruits to buy into the program’s vision — and over the last three years they’ve worked together to fulfill it.

VT’s 58-37 beatdown of Duke Saturday afternoon to advance to the ACC championship for the first time in program history was another stepping stone in the Hokies quest to reach their ultimate goal: becoming a national powerhouse.

“When I first got to Tech — Coach Brooks talks about this a lot — but we were hoping to win," senior center Elizabeth Kitley said to reporters following VT’s win. "We needed stuff to go our way to get this far, but it’s really nice to be at the point where we expect to win these games, and we’re really looking forward to tomorrow,” 

The two-time ACC player of the year has been the centerpiece of Tech’s rebuilding process, but Tech’s success hasn’t come without elite play from her supporting cast.

Virginia Tech’s deep roster has allowed the team to run a plethora of different schemes, occasionally using a Kitley as a decoy and putting the scoring onus on others — it’s how the Hokies deceived the Blue Devils in the ACC semifinal round.

“Today she [Kitley] was a decoy,” Tech head coach Kenny Brooks said. “Not too many superstars are okay with being a decoy, and she moved around and they [Duke] were physical with her. She was commanding the basketball, it just wasn’t there, but it opened up so many different things.”

Despite averaging a team-high 18.5 points per game this season, she only netted eight points against Duke. The Hokies offense didn’t skip a beat, though, draining 51% of their shots on Saturday afternoon. 

All-ACC first team point guard Georgia Amoore — another pillar in VT’s rebuild — carried the load for Tech offensively with 24 points on 6-8 shooting from behind the arc.

The Australian native scored eight points in Virginia Tech’s 17-0 run to end the first half. Duke never got within more than 12 points of the lead in the rest of the game following the run.

“It’s almost like ‘get Georgia the ball’ [when she’s in the zone],” senior guard Cayla King said. “When she’s feeling it, she just has a different look on her face. I feel like every time the ball leaves her hands, it’s going in the goal, and I think everyone on the team has that same feeling.”

King knocked down a three in the run as well and finished the game with seven points. Kayana Traylor contributed to the cause with eight points of her own. D’asia Gregg collected seven points on a 3-for-3 day from the field.

Tech’s variety of options on the offensive end caused headaches for Duke — as it has for opponents all year. 

“They have such great experience, I think that’s another factor for them,” Duke head coach Kara Lawson said. “To have experiences — not just experience, experience together. They have players that have played three, four years together in a system, and I think that’s a great advantage.

“They’re a very good team, and definitely a team that is very balanced and makes it hard for you to win.”

VT’s defense complemented its offense in its rout of Duke, holding the Blue Devils to just 1-of-15 (7%) shooting from three and 15-of-56 (27%) overall. 

A large part of the reason Tech has been able to methodically dissect its opponents in its first two ACC tournament games and entire season as a whole is due to Brooks' trust in his team. 

“This is the smartest team I’ve ever had,” Brooks said. “They are very smart. We’re able to make adjustments on the fly.”

Brooks and his team will need to continue to make effective schematic changes quickly in the next 12 hours before tipping off against Louisville in the championship game at 1 p.m. ET

It might be the first appearance in the title game for Virginia Tech, but the Hokies will try to do what they’ve always done throughout Brooks’ tenure — keep building. And he knows that they're not done yet.

“[We’re] very happy to be in the championship game, but our goal is to win a championship, so [we’re] excited to get back and prepare for what’s to come tomorrow.”