BLACKSBURG — The Virginia Tech women’s basketball team was not able to make a national splash by beating Iowa or LSU during nonconference play.
But that does not mean coach Kenny Brooks is disappointed with the 14th-ranked Hokies (9-2) as they begin ACC play Sunday.
“We’re not there [yet], but I’m very happy with where we’re going,” Brooks said after his team concluded nonleague play with a Dec. 21 win over William and Mary. “I don’t know what team in the ACC is where they are going to be [eventually]. … Everybody is still trying to figure it out.
“So I think that we are right were we want to be. … I’d love to be a little bit more ahead in some areas, but I think we’re on pace to be a contender … I really like their attitude, their willingness to do the things that we want done and I think that’s going to bode well for us. We need to get off to a good start in the ACC, but I think we’re going to be right there.
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“I’m very pleased with where [the Hokies] are.”
The Hokies, who topped the ACC’s preseason poll, will host Pittsburgh (6-7) at 2 p.m. Sunday to kick off league play. After a Jan. 4 visit to Wake Forest (4-8), the Hokies will get another chance at a marquee win when they host third-ranked North Carolina State (12-0) on Jan. 7.
Virginia Tech’s only two losses have come against fellow 2023 Final Four participants. The Hokies lost to Iowa 80-76 on Nov. 9 and fell at defending NCAA champ LSU 82-64 on Nov. 30.
“I would love to be undefeated, but we learned some valuable lessons in those two losses and I think that they’ll help us,” Brooks said. “Just like last year — I hated losing at Clemson and at Miami, but those were two valuable losses that … kicked us forward. And I think that this will be the same thing. It’s going to be tough, but I like where we are and I’m excited.”
The Hokies have recorded four straight lopsided wins since losing at LSU, including a victory at Rutgers two weekends ago.
“At this point when we have so many new pieces, we’re all still trying to find roles and find each other’s identity. But I think we’ve really done a good job the last few games of having people step up,” center Elizabeth Kitley said. “As long as these pieces keep … coming together, we’ll keep forming our identity.”
Kitley is averaging 20.8 points and 11.6 rebounds, while point guard Georgia Amoore is averaging 16.5 points and 7.7 assists.
But their supporting cast lacked consistency in nonleague play.
Michigan State transfer Matilda Ekh is averaging 10.3 points, while Cayla King averages 8.6 points. Freshman Carys Baker averages 5.4 points, while redshirt freshman Carleigh Wenzel averages 5.0 points. Minnesota transfer Rose Micheaux and freshman Clara Strack each averages 4.5 points. Wake transfer Olivia Summiel averages 4.1 points.
“The production that we have is so spread out,” Brooks said. “I’ve never had a team that is so spread out like this.
“All of them can produce. I just think we’re going to be a dangerous team when they’re all producing on the same day.
“A little bit of inconsistency of who’s going to do it, but somebody is doing it. It makes me wake up at 4:30 in the morning and I’m staring at the ceiling about what my rotation’s going to be like because I don’t know what it is. But it’s a great problem to have because we have options.
“Clara’s going to be a tremendous player for us this year. Carys is going to be a tremendous player for us this year. Carleigh’s going to be a tremendous player for us this year. They’re growing up right in front of our eyes.”
Ekh had 25 points in the Dec. 17 win at Rutgers, while Summiel had 18 points and Micheaux eight points in that game. Baker had 18 points in a Dec. 6 win over Long Island, while Strack had 11 points in that game. Wenzel had 11 points against both Iowa and Radford.
“A lot of girls are showing a lot of promise and stepping up,” Kitley said. “It’s the right time to start playing better together and to have more pieces contribute because against North Carolina, against Duke, we’re going to need a lot more than a couple scorers, a lot more than a couple defenders.”
The Hokies, who rank last in the ACC in steals, have not only missed 2023 WNBA draft picks Kayana Traylor and Taylor Soule on offense but on defense as well.
“We’re just different than we were last year [on defense],” Brooks said. “Last year we were a very smart basketball team and then you had … a couple wild cards in K.T. and Taylor Soule where they could go off and make a play. Well, this year we’re really more reliant on each other and where we’re supposed to be and helping each other. We don’t have those wild cards that can go out and get a steal. Georgia probably could, but we don’t want her to expend too much energy on that end doing that.”
The Hokies lead the ACC in blocked shots (7.1 bpg) and rank sixth in defensive rebounding.
“That’s who we’re going to be [defensively],” Brooks said. “They’re understanding that now and we’re getting a lot better.”
Liatu King is averaging points 19.7 for Pitt, which has lost to West Virginia, George Mason, Duquesne, Coppin State, Akron, Ball State and Georgia.
Former Eastern Michigan and UMass coach Tony Verdi is in his first season steering the Panthers.
