Virginia Tech-NC STATE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PREVIEW: MEETING NO. 1

Jay Winters

January 24, 2021

RALEIGH, N.C. - Virginia Tech will head to Raleigh on Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. for round one of its back-to-back meetings with No. 2 NC State.

The Hokies are coming off a bit of a shooting slump in the last two games, shooting at a clip of under 30% from three and under 40% from the field, but have managed to only lose by margins of three and five points. Elizabeth Kitley and Aisha Sheppard remain the constants for Tech, as they average 36 combined points per game, which leads the ACC.

NC State has not played since January third, but remains one of the top teams in the country sitting at an undefeated 10-0 record, with a marquee win over former No. 1 South Carolina.

The Wolfpack have sat in the top-10 all season, beginning the year at No. 8 and making their way up to No. 2. They are an extremely balanced team and boast four players that average double figures, and another who averages just under that mark at 9.8.

Tech is just 1-21 all time against State, with the last win coming in 2015 at the ACC Tournament. The Hokies have played the Wolfpack tight in the last three matchups, however, taking State to overtime in 2019, and only by seven and 12 last season.

Versus the No. 2 team in the country, Tech is 0-10 all time, with the 71-67 loss against Louisville this season being the most recent.

Virginia Tech Keys to the Game: Stop the Wolfpack Guards

If the Hokies can disrupt the Wolfpack’s guard play with something like a press or different looks on the defensive end, they should have success slowing State down.

Outside of Cunane, NC State’s offense runs through one of the top guard combos in the country in sophomore Jakia Brown-Turner and graduate transfer Raina Perez. Both lead the ACC in assist to turnover ratio at 3.2, while Brown-Turner averages 13.7 points a game and Perez averages just under 10.

NC State Keys to the Game: Limit the Three

Outside of Kitley, Virginia Tech relies heavily on the three to win games. The Hokies lead the ACC in three-point field goals made, and relatively everyone outside of Kitley will pull the trigger if given the chance. The Hokies average just over 40% from beyond the arc in wins, but in losses that dips to just over 30%. The allows teams to shoot 30% from three on average, and if State can keep that mark, it should limit Tech’s scoring.

Virginia Tech Player to Watch: Aisha Sheppard

At the end of the postgame press conference on Thursday, Sheppard seemed extremely motivated and said she expressed to the locker room that it would be the last of the heartbreak games for the Hokies.

Tech will need all of the leadership and skill out of the senior leader on Sunday, who has been the Hokies’ go-to player all season and leads the ACC in three-point field goals per game and is second in scoring. Coming off a season high 29 points, Sheppard is one three-pointer away from breaking Virginia Tech’s all time three-point record of 269.

NC State Player to Watch: Elissa Cunane

Cunane leads the Wolfpack in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 16.2 points per game and 7.5 rebounds. Cunane has proved throughout the year that she is a versatile center who is not scared to shoot the ball as she is six for 13 on the year from three, and one of the top free-throw shooting centers in the ACC, making 84% from the charity stripe (42 for 50).

Cunane’s matchup with Kitley will be another showdown of top ACC bigs, and it will be interesting to watch if Cunane stretches Kitley out and forces her to guard her from outside the paint, which is not a strong suit for Kitley.

Score Prediction: NC State 70, Virginia Tech 60

NC State’s defense, which allows an ACC-best 58.7 points per game, will frustrate the Hokies who have struggled to find scoring outside of Kitley and Sheppard. If the Hokies don’t find additional scoring outside of that duo, expect State to pull away early.

However, Virginia Tech should make this a close game, and playing No. 1 Louisville down to the wire will give the Hokies a blueprint and some confidence that they can stick with the Wolfpack throughout. State will most likely be a little rusty having not played since January third due to Covid issues, and if Tech can capitalize on that, they should make this a tight game.

Virginia Tech will hang with the Wolfpack for a good portion of the game, but expect State to grind out a win after not having played for 20 days, 70-60.