Virginia Tech beats South Dakota State to reach Sweet 16

The highest-seeded Hokies led from the opening basket in a 72-60 win over ninth-seeded South Dakota State within the second spherical of the NCAA event Sunday evening at Cassell Coliseum.

The one different time Tech made the Candy 16 was when Bonnie Henrickson’s fourth-seeded Hokies did so within the 1999 event.

“[The Sweet 16] was certainly one of our huge targets this yr,” stated Tech senior middle Elizabeth Kitley, who had 14 factors and 14 rebounds. “For us to have carried out it for this system and only for my teammates and coaches, it simply means every little thing.

“We positively really feel we are able to go farther.”

After going by way of the handshake line at recreation’s finish, Hokies coach Kenny Brooks raised each forefingers within the air.

“So happy with these children. So happy with this program,” Brooks stated later. “The very first recreation that I ever coached as a head coach … was on this constructing [in 2002] and I used to be at James Madison and we performed in opposition to Bonnie Henrickson’s crew and we misplaced in extra time. And I keep in mind after the sport Coach [Frank] Beamer … stated, ‘Good recreation, younger fella.’

“After which full-circle second, Coach Beamer’s on the market [Sunday] telling me what a terrific program now we have proper now.

“To have the ability to get this group, this program, to this degree, it was very, very particular.”

The Hokies improved to 29-4, breaking the varsity document for many wins in a season that had been set by the 1998-99 squad.

Virginia Tech will face No. 4 seed Tennessee (24-11) or No. 12 seed Toledo (29-4) within the spherical of 16 on Saturday in Seattle. Tennessee will host Toledo at 6 p.m. Monday in a second-round recreation that can air on ESPN2. Tech gained 59-56 at Tennessee in December.

“[Making the Sweet 16] means absolutely the world,” stated Tech level guard Georgia Amoore, who had 21 factors and 7 3-pointers. “After we began this yr, Candy 16 was the aim, amongst ACC championship. And I believe it’s simply nice that we’ve completed all of that. Nevertheless it’s the event; the job actually isn’t carried out. So I’m actually excited to get to Seattle.”

After Tech guard Kayana Traylor grabbed a defensive rebound with 16 seconds left, it was time for the Hokies to dribble out the clock. Amoore raised her arms and gestured to the sellout crowd of 8,925 followers to get even louder.

“That crowd was ridiculous,” Amoore stated. “The stadium was shaking. … It was simply electrifying.”

Sunday’s crowd tied the group for Tech’s first-round win Friday for the fourth-largest crowd for a house recreation in this system’s historical past.

“As [the clock] was winding down with 15 seconds to go or so, for the primary time I used to be capable of look into the group,” Brooks stated. “Numerous feelings got here by way of, to have the ability to get up to now, … to get these children to this chance, to go to the Candy 16.”

The Hokies didn’t do a lot celebrating on the courtroom, however they did of their locker room — with water bottles.

“[The celebration] was very moist. There was water in all places, spraying in all places,” Kitley stated.

The Summit League champion Jackrabbits (29-6) noticed their 22-game profitable streak come to an finish.

The Hokies, who gained their thirteenth straight recreation, led 19-7 after the primary quarter and 46-23 at halftime. They made eight of their 12 3-pointers within the first half.

Amoore was 7 of 19 from 3-point vary within the win.

“It was a special protection than I’ve performed in opposition to this yr. They didn’t actually guard the screens or have a hand up, so I used to be simply taking them,” Amoore stated. “I like taking a 3 greater than a layup.”

Kitley made seven baskets Sunday, giving her a school-record 238 for the season. She broke the single-season mark of 237 that she set final yr.

Kitley additionally blocked 5 photographs, giving her a school-record 261 for her profession. She broke the outdated mark of 256 that was set by Ieva Kublina.

The Jackrabbits shot simply 37.3% from the sector. They had been 2 of 15 from 3-point vary (13.3%).

“Anytime we play a crew at this degree, size is a distinction,” South Dakota State coach Aaron Johnston stated. “It adjustments issues for our put up touches. It adjustments issues for our perimeter gamers. And it impacted this recreation.”

Down 61-45 with 9:09 to go, the Jackrabbits went on an 11-5 run to chop the result in 66-56 with 3:13 left. However Amoore answered with a 3-pointer to increase the result in 69-56 with 1:50 to go.

Myah Selland (17 factors) made two free throws to chop the result in 69-58 with 1:33 to go, however Amoore buried one other 3-pointer to increase the result in 72-58 with 1:12 left.

“They made some actually huge photographs early and late,” Johnston stated of the Hokies. “They’d a few daggers there the place it felt like we had been getting again into it and that acquired the group going and turned the momentum once more.”

Tech ahead Taylor Soule had 13 factors, together with 11 within the second half.

Traylor had all 11 of her factors the primary half. She suffered a hyperextended knee early final week, in response to Brooks, however scored in double figures each Friday and Sunday.

It was Tech’s sixteenth residence win of the season, breaking the varsity mark for many residence victories in a season.

The Hokies opened the sport with an Amoore 3-pointer and led the remainder of the best way. The lead grew to 9-2, with Traylor and Cayla King additionally supplying 3-pointers.

The lead grew to 17-7 with 3:57 left within the first quarter. Tech was 5 of 6 from 3-point vary at that time.

The Hokies scored the ultimate eight factors of the primary quarter to take a 19-7 lead into the second quarter.

“We simply performed with an offensive aggression at first, getting downhill and kick-outs,” Amoore stated.

The Jackrabbits shot simply 21.4% from the sector within the first quarter.

“We did job of understanding that they had been going to be bodily coming into the sport, so we talked about how we needed to be bodily additionally and type of set the tone from the beginning,” Kitley stated. “We got here out simply actually intense.”

Tech went on a 10-0 run within the second quarter to construct a 29-9 cushion with 6:39 left in that quarter. Kitley had six factors within the run.

The Hokies shot 75% (12 of 16) from the sector within the second quarter.

“We had been shifting the ball rather well, weren’t settling. We had been simply taking actually good photographs,” Kitley stated of the primary half.

Tech gained regardless of capturing simply 25% from the sector within the third quarter and 33.3% within the fourth.