CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The No. 5 Hokies closed the regular season with an 80-75 loss at Virginia on Sunday night, but more than anything, it was a reminder that there’s more to life than basketball.
Matilda Ekh found Elizabeth Kitley for a fast-break opportunity with over six minutes left in the third quarter in John Paul Jones Arena. The six-foot-six center sprinted down the floor and dropped in a layup with some light contact, if any at all, before crumpling to the ground and holding her knee.
The two-time ACC Player of the Year and All-American has played nearly 5,000 career minutes over 151 games, but in a flash, it felt as though none of that mattered anymore. Though she’s averaged 23 points and 11 rebounds per game this year and felt almost invincible in moments, for maybe the first time in her entire career, she looked mortal in her spot underneath the basket.
A silence filled the arena, one packed to the brim with Virginia Tech fans. Sunday’s crowd of 11,975 was the largest for a women’s basketball game in the Commonwealth, surpassing the 1994 national championship game in the Richmond Coliseum between North Carolina and Louisiana Tech (11,966).
But in that moment, and for the remainder of the evening, the only thing crossing everyone’s minds was Kitley. Yes, there was a basketball game on the line, and UVa won it, handing the ACC champions their second consecutive loss. Yet, realization quickly set in that it might be a very serious injury, an experience much larger than hoops.
Those watching on television watched Kitley shake her head, her family’s reaction and Kenny Brooks’ emotional conversation with her. In person, she was slow to move before being helped to the locker room.
Though she returned to the bench later in the game with a smile on her face and received a standing ovation from the Hokie faithful, she didn’t check back in. And she was the only thing Brooks could think about in his post-game press conference.
“I’ll be very honest with you, I don’t know Kitley’s status, and to be honest with you, that’s where my mind is,” a noticeably shaken up Brooks said.
He’s repeatedly told observers of women’s basketball to not take Kitley’s greatness for granted. That might not have set in for some until just after 7 p.m. ET on Sunday.
It’s easy to think about how her potential absence, whether long or short, impacts the Hokies this season. They’re the overall No. 1 seed in the ACC Tournament in Greensboro, N.C., her hometown, but they could potentially be the second straight regular-season champion to lose their star player right before the postseason, joining Notre Dame and Oliva Miles.
They potentially had a shot for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament until their loss in Charlottesville, too. They’re still in great position for a top-four seed, meaning they’ll host a regional, though there’s a chance their team doesn’t look the same again this year.
Kitley is everything to Tech; Brooks said so himself after the game. But he also made the point that “she’s more than a player for us.”
Her number will eventually be retired by the school. However, her legacy and impact on women’s basketball reach beyond what she’s done on the court. She’s a trailblazer and an icon in the sport, especially in the ACC, and is one of the greatest players to ever compete in the conference. And she’s set the bar extremely high as far as drawing in fans and support from all over — having a warm and friendly personality is part of that.
That’s why Sunday was so jarring. She’s a generational player, and what she’s been able to accomplish on the hardwood makes her seem untouchable in moments, though her charisma has made her more than that. But in Charlottesville, many were reminded that she’s a human, not just a basketball player.
Without her on the floor for the final 15 minutes, the Hokies couldn’t hold on against Virginia despite Georgia Amoore putting them on her back. She had a career-high 39 points on 13-of-26 shooting and was nearly unguardable, but it wasn’t enough.
She didn’t have much help in the scoring category. Kitley was Tech’s only other double-figure scorer with 20 points and nine rebounds in 22 minutes. True freshman Clara Strack stepped up and played 21 minutes, finishing with eight points and eight rebounds, but fouled out. Carleigh Wenzel had an important layup late while Carys Baker and Cayla King each got a trey down, but Olivia Summiel and Matilda Ekh were scoreless.
While Amoore and Kitley combined for 22-of-37 (59%), the rest of the team was 6-of-24 (25%). Tech (23-6, 14-4 ACC) turned it over 17 times against a team in UVa (15-14, 7-11) that hedged ball screens well and occasionally trapped. It shot better than the Cavaliers — 46 percent to 42 percent — and was plus-three on the glass but allowed 34 points in the paint (minus-10) and 21 points off turnovers (minus-eight).
Kymora Johnson led UVa with 21 points, eight assists and four rebounds. Camryn Taylor and Paris Clark joined her in double figures with 17 and 16, respectively, while combining for 13 rebounds. Nine of the 11 players who saw time scored, including Sam Brunelle, who knocked down two clutch free throws late.
The Hokies and Cavaliers were tied with 1:52 remaining after Wenzel’s bucket but allowed two quick baskets, one of which came off a miscue. Two free throws made it a six-point game, and a three-point play from Amoore wasn’t enough as the team’s final three field goals didn’t fall.
It didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, though. The loss was disappointing for Virginia Tech while the crowd was unbelievable, but Kitley’s health was in the forefront of everyone’s mind.
Box Score: Virginia 80, No. 5 Virginia Tech 75
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqjHK00gKkg&ab_channel=TechSideline
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMAehkrZeLE&ab_channel=ACCDigitalNetwork