Lady Hokies host #23 UNC Feb 13

The Lady Hokies continue their brutal closing schedule today hosting #23/22 UNC at 1 PM. The game is on ACCNx.
Our closing schedule is going to be a real challenge:

Fortunately 3 of the last 5 are at home; but we finish against 3 top 25 teams and 2 of them are top 5. Today might be our best chance to get a win among those 3 games. The Ladies should be itching to revenge the loss at UNC earlier this year on Jan 9 when we lost 71-46 as a ranked team. That loss knocked us out of the top 25 and we have not been again to break back in. However a win today might do it.

UNC is 19-4 and 9-4 in ACC play. The four losses were to NC State twice, at GA Tech and at Notre Dame. Their last game was against Pitt at home and they won by 10. When we played Pitt at home, we also won by 10.

In the last game Kitley had 14 points and 17 rebounds on 6 of 13 FGs. The rest of the team was 12 of 45 from the field and 4 of 24 from 3. UNC could not stop Kitley; but the rest of the team could not provide any help. UNC's lineup really does not have anyone to match up with Kitley.

UNC does not rely on the three to the extent VT does; but they do make about 6 threes per game on 32.7%. And they have 3 players shooting over 35% from 3 and 3 ,more shooting nearly 30%. They have held opponents to 25% from three and allowed about 5.5 threes per game. Our strength did not do well against their defensive strength in the last game. We will have to do better this afternoon. We did not make a three in the first half in the last game. We cannot afford to start like that today. It has been a while since I watched that game; but my recollection is that we were not missing due to the great defense, we were just really cold. I think we play better today.

UNC is a good team as their stats reveal; but I think we are better if we play our game.

STATS:

PLAYERS

#: 25 Deja Kelly ,So., G, 5'8 MPG 30.2, PPG 15.8, RPG 3.5, APG 2.4, TO: 2

#: 1 Alyssa Ustby ,So., G, 6'1 MPG 30.3, PPG 13.2, RPG 8.5, APG 2.4, TO: 2.3

#: 3 Kennedy Todd-Williams ,So., G, 5'11 MPG 29.4, PPG 10.2, RPG 6, APG 2.3, TO: 1.7

#: 2 Carlie Littlefield ,Gr., G, 5'9 MPG 28.4, PPG 8.6, RPG 3.4, APG 2.6, TO: 1.7

#: 31 Anya Poole ,So., F, 6'2 MPG 19.8, PPG 7.9, RPG 6.5, APG 0.9, TO: 1.3

#: 10 Eva Hodgson ,R-Jr., G, 5'9 MPG 24.9, PPG 10.1, RPG 2.4, APG 2.4, TO: 1.9

In the last game, UNC let Kitley get her double double and stopped the rest of the team. Sheppard, in particular, is playing much better the last few games. If she, Amoore, King and Traylor can contribute a little bit, I like our chances in this one.

Time for church.

LET'S GO HOKIES!