WBB host UNC Feb 25 at 2PM on ACC Network

Our #8 Hokies host receiving votes UNC at Cassell Colliseum at 2 PM on Sunday. The game will be on the ACC Network. College Game Day will be in Blacksburg for this game. This is also senior day for Kitley and King. Amoore may be honored also as she is a senior even though she has a covid year if she wants to play another year in Blacksburg.

The Hokies are 22-4 and 13-2 and first place in the ACC. A win today could clinch first place for the Ladies. UNC is 18-9 and 10-5 in the ACC and tied for 6th, which puts them on the single bye line. The Hokies will still be in first place win or lose. Too many moving parts to say where UNC lands.

UNC is on a three game winning streak with wins over WF on the road and PItt and NC State at home. They are 3-4 on the road this season.

UNC does have three players 6'3 or taller who play a combined 40 min/game. So Kitley will usually have someone almost as tall as she is on the court with her. They also have Ustby who is an Olivia Summiel type hustling player. Deja Kelly is the spark plug that we probably cannot completely stop. But we have to pressure Donarski on the three point shots, where she is deadly. Barring foul trouble Kelly, Ustby and Donarski will play about 35 minutes. Gakdeng, Key and Zalaya will split the time at the 5. Poole and Nivar will split the rest of the minutes.

Ustby and Gakdeng are the most likely to have foul problems, especially since Gakdeng will be trying to guard Kitley. They only shoot 31% overall from three; but Donarski shoots 37% and makes about 2.5 3's per game. Her shooting from beyond the arc was critical in the NC State game on Thursday. The Wolfpack left her open at critical times late in the game and she made them pay. They only turn the ball over less than 13 times per game and they block 7.5 shots per game. UNC is a relative poor foul shooting team at less than 67%.

The game is a sell out and senior day. The Ladies should be up for this one and they have shown that they can handle the pressure of a big game. I think the Hokies do well in this game and lock up first place in the ACC. There is also the potential for a significant move up in the rankings with Iowa, Stanford and NC State all losing. Maybe the voters will finally recognize that we are better than NC State.

LET'S GO HOKIES!