Hokie Women Top Heels for First Time Since 1984

by Brian Bartley

That's what Virginia Tech women's basketball team is likely doing after knocking off the 10th ranked North Carolina Tar Heels for the first time in more than 25 years on Thursday night at Cassell Coliseum.  Fueled by the offensive firepower of senior, Lindsay Biggs, the Hokies managed a 23-point cushion in the second half and eventually ousted UNC, 79-64.

"It's great, especially for our seniors," junior point guard Nikki Davis said of the Hokies upset.  "I'm so happy they could get a win like that."

For the Hokies, the seniors made the difference.  Biggs and Utahya Drye combined for 35 (19,16) of the Hokies' 79 points in the game.

Junior Brittany Gordon, and freshman Alyssa Fenyn, also chipped in 17 and 10 points respectively.  Tech shot 49 percent from the field.

Conversely, the Hokies limited the Tar Heels to a meager 33 percent shooting, despite giving up 29 offensive rebounds.  Those offensive rebounds have led to easy buckets for Hokie opponents in the past, but scrappy defense on Thursday allowed Tech to shut down a lot of second-chance points.

After the game, Davis said the team was concerned about UNC's ability to rebound prior to the contest, noting that the Tar Heels fielded three girls over 6-foot-6. 

The Tar Heels had three players score in double figures, but none of those three scored more than 13 points.

Despite their national ranking, the Tar Heels will likely come under national scrutiny this week.  

Before dropping the game in Blacksburg, the Heels took a 41-point thrashing at the hands of the top-rated Connecticut last Saturday.  

Aside from the huge win, another milestone occurred Thursday night inside Cassell Coliseum.

In the second half, Drye scored her 1,000th point as a member of the Hokies.

The play occurred on what would eventually turn out to be the Hokies largest lead of the game, when Drye hit a layup to give Tech a 23-point lead with 8:23 left in the game.  

The Hokies now move to 11-5 overall and 1-1 in ACC play.  

The Tar Heels lost for just the third time all year as they fall to 13-3 overall and 1-1 in the ACC. 

The Tech women will get another opportunity at a top-25 win on Monday when the no.23 Virginia Cavaliers visit Cassell Coliseum.  Tip-off is slated for 5 p.m., and is the first game of a double-header featuring the men's team taking on Coastal Carolina at 8 p.m.

NOTES:

*With Lindsay Biggs 19-point effort, she has now led the Hokies in scoring in 7 of VT's 17 games.  Biggs and Drye have combined to lead scoring in 12 of the Hokies 17 games.

*This is the Hokies first win against a ranked team since the 2006 season (vs BC, 67-62)

*This was the Hokies' first win against the Tar Heels in the last nine attempts.  Last win came in 1984.

*The Hokies, despite giving up size at most positions, doubled the amount of blocks by UNC, winning that battle 8-4.