Despite being three spots higher than No. 22 Syracuse, No. 19 Virginia Tech appeared to be an underdog against the Orange.
The Hokies entered the game with just 2 wins and 3 losses on the road, facing a previously undefeated Syracuse team on their home court. Not only that, but Virginia Tech was coming off a two-week stretch in which they weren't very good until their 18-point win over Georgia Tech, while Syracuse was on a six-game winning streak, including a blowout win over Georgia Tech. I had just achieved it. No. 23 Florida State and No. 15 Notre Dame. But for the second straight game, a healthy Hokies looked like a much better team than the 19th-ranked team in the country, and more like a team that could blow away anyone in the country.
Virginia Tech moved to third place in the ACC with a 75-62 victory despite an off night for two-time ACC Player of the Year Elizabeth Kitley.
It was all Hokies in the first quarter, with the Orange shooting 56% for a 23-9 lead but only shooting 23% from the field. Syracuse's shooting numbers reversed in the second quarter and they were down by four points at halftime, but they rallied, but the Hokies pulled away in the third quarter and fought back, building a lead they would never relinquish.
Overall, the Hokies shot 42% from the field and 41% from 3-point land, knocking down 12 of 29 3-pointers. Syracuse shot just 33% from the floor and 23% from downtown, making 5 of 22 triples. The Hokies endured a rare off night from superstar Elizabeth Kitley, relying heavily on outside shooting and shot creation from their guards, scoring just six points on 3-of-13 shooting. She still dominated the paint, grabbed nine rebounds, and blocked two shots, but these numbers are still far from her averages of 23 points and 11 rebounds.
But what really makes the Hokies dangerous is that they were able to use their All-American talent to overcome a bad offensive night and still comfortably beat a top-25 team in the nation. Three sharp-shooting guards, Georgia Amoore, Matilda Ek and Kayla King, all came to play and scored 56 of the Hokies' 75 points. They made a combined 11 3-pointers on 24 attempts, proving why they are among the top six in the ACC in 3-pointers.
Amure, in particular, was truly unstoppable, using his speed and quickness to get to his spots at will, whether around the basket, mid-range or behind the 3-point line. She finished with 29 points, including 10-for-17 from the field, 3-for-7 from long range and 6-for-6 from the free-throw line, her second-highest score of the season.
Despite having an off shooting night with Kitley, Olivia Sumiel still found a way to contribute in a positive way, grabbing 12 rebounds. Wake her transfer to Forest and she really found her role with this team. Now she has recorded at least seven rebounds in her five straight games.
Syracuse, on the other hand, still had three players reach double digits despite an overall cold night of play. Daisha Fair, the ACC's leading 3-point shooter, led the way with 16 points while knocking down 3 of 8 triples. Georgia Woolley matched Fair's scoring total while adding seven rebounds and four assists, while Alaina Rice also reached double digits with 14 points, six rebounds and four assists.
Syracuse only has a few days to find its shooting touch, as it travels to Louisville on February 1st to take on the 18th-ranked Cardinals in another battle of ACC-ranked teams. Meanwhile, the Hokies will be looking for their fourth straight championship as they plan to make the two-hour drive to Blacksburg for the Commonwealth Clash on February 1st.
