Kitley scores 31, No. 14 Virginia Tech women overcome Amoore's absence for 74-62 win over Clemson
The Virginia Tech bench celebrates a 3-point basket by Cayla King in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Clemson in Blacksburg, Va, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024. Credit: AP/MATT GENTRY
BLACKSBURG, Va. — Elizabeth Kitley scored 31 points, the 10th 30-point game of her career, and No. 14 Virginia Tech ended a two-game losing streak with a 74-62 win over Clemson on Sunday, the Tigers' sixth-straight loss.
Kitley had 22 points on 11-of-13 shooting in the second half as the Hokies finally overcame the absence of point guard Georgia Amoore.
Amoore, who averages 16.4 points and seven assists, was injured by an inadvertent elbow to her head during a scramble in Thursday's 63-46 loss at Duke. The Hokies were down 29-26 when she went out a couple of minutes into the third quarter. After scoring just 20 points after that, Virginia Tech only led the Tigers 31-29 at the break.
Kitley, who scored the last basket of the third quarter, opened the fourth with two more buckets to give the Hokies a 57-45 lead.
Clemson got no closer than five after that as Kitley went 6 for 6 and the Hokies were 8 of 12 and made 5 of 6 free throws. Tech finished 29 of 53 (55%). Clemson shot 38% (23 of 60).
Matila Ekh hit four 3-pointers and scored 16 points for the Hokies (14-4, 5-2 Atlantic Coast Conference). Redshirt freshman Carleigh Wenzel, who replaced Amoore, had seven points, four assists and two steals in her first career start. Kitley had a career-high four steals to go with eight rebounds. Cayla King had eight points and a career-high nine assists.
Dayshanette Harris had 25 points, eight assists, six steals and five rebounds for Clemson (8-11, 1-6). Amari Robinson had 19 points and nine rebounds.
Virginia Tech's Carleigh Wenzel (1) attempts a pass that was intercepted by a Clemson defender in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Blacksburg, Va, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024. Credit: AP/MATT GENTRY
The Hokies took a 31-29 lead at the half thanks to a 3-pointer by Ekh with a second left that capped a 7-0 run.
Virginia Tech scored the first seven points of the game and led 16-12 after one quarter. A 10-0 run gave the Tigers a 22-18 lead midway through the second period and a 7-0 run had them up 29-24 before Kitley's two basket's preceded Ekh's shot from the left corner.
Without Amoore, the Hokies had 13 turnovers in the first half and Clemson turned those into 13 points. Harris' 17 points kept the Tigers in the game despite their 0-8 performance from 3-point range and 35.3% overall shooting.
Kitley hit 5 of 7 shots in the third quarter and Virginia Tech took a 53-45 lead into the fourth quarter. Ekh hit a pair of 3-pointers and King had one while the Tigers were just 4 of 11 but stayed close by making 7 of 9 from the foul line.
Virginia Tech's Cayla King (22) shoots a 3-point basket in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Clemson in Blacksburg, Va, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024. Credit: AP/MATT GENTRY
Virginia Tech is home against Georgia Tech on Thursday when No. 4 North Carolina State visits Clemson.
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