DALLAS — For the first time in over two months, Virginia Tech didn’t have an answer. In the Final Four on Friday night against LSU, the Tigers had more in the tank down the stretch and held off the Hokies, 79-72, advancing to the national championship.
“In a game of this magnitude when both teams are high level and there's a lot of shot-making going on, you've got to make some of those shots to be able to survive and continue those runs,” Virginia Tech head coach Kenny Brooks said after the loss.
Leading by nine, 59-50, at the end of the third quarter, the Hokies were gashed open. They struggled to find their footing and didn’t have a response after being punched in the mouth.
LSU (33-2) outscored them 29-13 over the final 10 minutes, which included a 15-0 run over three-plus minutes. Tech (31-5) was 2-of-10 from the floor with four turnovers in that span, a disappointing end to a historic season.
Over the course of the recent 15-game win streak that led to the program’s first-ever Final Four, Tech never flinched. But for the first time this year, it lost after leading at halftime. LSU was just too much to handle.
The Tigers were more aggressive, and VT couldn’t stop Alexis Morris, who scored 27 points (11-of-27), 15 in the second half. Angel Reese (24 points, 12 rebounds) and LaDazhia Williams (16 points, seven rebounds) also played big roles. And the glass became a problem.
After winning the battle on the boards by 14 in the first half, 25-11, Tech was outrebounded by nine, 22-13, in the second. LSU had 10 offensive boards and finished with 24 second-chance points. Moreover, it dominated the paint, bodying the Hokies 54-14 down low. As Georgia Amoore explained it, “They just really took over with the intensity.”
“For so long, we were holding them to one shot,” Tech guard Cayla King said. “We were boxing out [while] in a zone, which honestly is really tough, especially with the players that they have. So, I think when you hold them to one shot, you have a good chance against them, but down the stretch, they got a few rebounds that led to buckets.
“That’s their style of play, and they did that down the stretch.”
In the second and third quarters, the Hokies looked like their usual selves. They shot 54.8% in that 20-minute span (17-of-31) and took over. It started with the 2-3 zone defense they implemented and ended with good offensive sets in the halfcourt.
But it wasn’t sustainable. Even though four Tech players scored in double figures — Elizabeth Kitley (18 points), Amoore (17), Kayana Traylor (17) and King (14) all had buckets at big moments — it was a struggle to score in the clutch. The team missed 12 of its final 15 field goal attempts and couldn’t find a rhythm.
“I think we had a few crucial turnovers, as well as missed boxouts where they scored on second-chance opportunities,” Traylor said.
And like that, the Hokies’ magical run was over. Amazingly, for the first time in over 60 days, they lost.
Yet, while defeat may sting for quite some time, they’ll be remembered for all they achieved. Over the course of an unbelievable season, they set plenty of records and accomplished numerous firsts — 31 wins, a No. 1 seed, a Final Four appearance and an ACC championship among them.
When Brooks first arrived in Blacksburg, the program lacked a culture. There was no winning mentality. Virginia Tech was not thought of as a team that could win at the highest level.
The successes in 2021 and 2022 were great; in reality, though, they were stepping stones for what the group accomplished in 2023. And now, Tech has credibility. It’s a cool destination for talented players who want to shine in women’s basketball. Taylor Soule and Traylor transferred to Tech and showed that the highest level of success was possible.
Decisions will be made in the near future. While the collegiate careers of Soule, Traylor and D’asia Gregg are done, Kitley and King have the option to return. Amoore potentially could be with the Hokies through 2025. And because of what the group accomplished, the heights it reached, everything — the good and bad — will be watched with a closer eye by those around the country.
But that’s what that kind of success does — it vaults the school into the spotlight. The Hokies are there now, despite falling short of playing in the national championship. King said it best: “It just puts Virginia Tech back on the map.”
“We understand how hard it is,” Brooks said. “… We cherished it, we enjoyed it. But now we really do want to try to put together something that can get back here.”
Box Score: LSU 79, Virginia Tech 72