The #9 Ladies play Kansas in the Cayman Islands Classic today at 5 PM. I can't find where it will be televised; Hokie Sports says Virginia Tech Sports Network, whatever that means. Win or lose, they play Tulane tomorrow at 11 AM.
Kansas has 6'6 Super-Senior Taiyanna Jackson at center and starts 4 guards around her: 5'7 Senior Wyvette Mayberry, 5'8 Super-Senior Zakiyah Franklin, 5'11 Super-Senior Holly Kersgieter and 6'0 Freshman S'Mya Nichols. They are an experienced group around a very good freshman . The first three off the bench are 6' senior G/F Ryan Cobbins, 5'10 G/F Junior Skyler Gill and 6'3 Freshman Center Paris Gains. Cobbins plays about half the game, 23 mpg; Gill plays 15 mpg and Gaines spells Jackson for about 8 mpg. Given that Jackson and Gaines play a total of 31 mpg on average, the Jayhawks are going to have a relatively short team on the court at times.
The Jayhawks are 2-1 with wins against Northwestern State, 88-46 at home and Kansas City, 70-61 at a "neutral site" in Kansas City. Their loss was to Penn State, 85-91 at Penn State.
Statistics:
Four of the starters are averaging double digit scoring and the fifth is averaging 9 ppg. The bench does not contribute much. They have out rebounded their opponents by almost 4 rpg; but against Penn State they lost the rebound battle 40-33. Their website says they play aggressive man to man defense and try to trap the inbounds pass and at the mid-court line. Kersgieter is shooting 55% on 11 of 20 from 3 point land. Three players are averaging over 3 fouls per game; against the Hokies that tendency could lead to reduced playing time for 2 starters and the first lady off the bench.
Unless the Ladies have a really bad game from 2 or more starters, this should be a win.
LET'S GO HOKIES!
Comments
It's not on TV or normal streaming is subscription service Flo Hoops. Nothing like bringing down a great field of woman's teams then not having ESPN+ stream it.
Audio?
(edit: remote island in a high school gym over thanksgiving with no real TV; I'm glad the players get the experience though...am I right this isn't even an actual tournament?)
Of note, a win here will move Kenny Brooks past Bonnie Henrickson for second all-time, and it will be against the team for whom Henrickson left Virginia Tech.
Additionally, Kitley will tie Regan Magarity for the Tech record for games started (127), and Kitley will probably move past Amy Wetzel for 4th in Minutes Played (needs 31).
Go get 'em Hokies! I'm still looking for some payback for the 2008 Orange Bowl.
My wife was at that game.
It was so cold, they had sold out of winter jackets all the way up to Orlando.
There will need to be orange bowl wins to make up for that.
So I have been trying to figure out how to watch and am coming up empty... anyone figure it out?
Go to Flohoops. Buy the subscription.
First timeout break, Hokies are down by 1.
Amoore, King, and Kitley all with 3.
Kansas started with very good D.
King with her 5th shot from, not 3 point range, on the season.
End of the first quarter, Hokies up 3.
All shots by Amoore, King, and Kitley.
Ekh hasn't accrued a single stat other than minutes. Micheaux has a few rebounds and a turnover. Three bench players have combined for 1 rebound.
Double figures for Kitley
Up 1 at the half.
Amoore, Kitley, and King account for 27 of 32 points.
Ekh and Micheaux both scored to start the 2nd quarter. Wenzel went 1/2 from FT range
Kitley on pace for a double-double (needs 4 more rebounds)
Amoore might get one (needs 1 point and 6 assists)
Doh
Amoore is not handling the ball that well tonight. That's TO #5
Double Double for Kitley
Kansas getting into a lot of foul trouble. Papadopoulou has 4 and so does Jackson
Baker didn't need to do that. Gave Kansas momentum heading into 4th
3 point Hokies' lead after 3.
Kitley with 29 of Tech's 50.
King now on the bench with 4 fouls, Micheaux just picked up her 4th
Papadopoulou fouls out
30 points for Kitley
Amoore in double figures, to give the Hokies the lead with less than 4 to go
Back to back 30/10+ games for Kitley
Ladies just trading baskets. Can't seem to separate
Georgia Amoore with the answer 3. Ice veins
Clutch 3 by Amoore to put the Hokies back on top with less than 3 to go.
1 point game. Kitley leads all with 31, followed by Amoore's 14.
Amoore needs 3 assists for a double-double, but could get the ignoble-double with another turnover.
Big turnover there by Kansas.
Massive offensive rebound by Kitley. She is her
Wow rebound with ten seconds ...run it out
FAM
Woooo.
Watching play by play on ESPN app palpitations FAM
Way more stressful than I expected FAM
FAM!
0 points for either team for the last 3:16 of the game. Crazy.
FAM!!!
W !!!!
As my wife says, "Make your damn FT"
Hokies 12/14
Jayhawks: 8/16
Not that I think it will happen but seeing Georgia Amoore on a short list for #1 pick in the WNBA Draft is still fun.
https://justwomenssports.com/reads/wnba-draft-lottery-caitlin-clark-iowa...
I'm surprised not to see any mention of Kitley. Is the feeling her game is not suited to the WNBA; or expectation that she will go on to Med School?
ESPN actually has Kitley 8th and Amoore 9th in their mock draft.
https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/38737420/wnba-mock-draft-2024-clark...
Clark will be the #1 pick
Me thinks she won't make it long in wnba once she finds out she can't Lebron her way to success like she did at Iowa
She picked up a technical the other day for shoving a defender.
You don't think her shooting/ball handling will translate to the next level?
Refs won't be eating her ass all game either in the WNBA so she'll have to adjust our foul out early.
I think it depends on the team picking first between Paige Bueckers and Clark. Bueckers actually shoots better and plays better defense than Clark. She just has complimentary players around her so isn't a one woman show.