BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) – Georgia Amore scored 22 points, Elizabeth Kitley added 12, and top-seeded Virginia Tech defeated No. 16 seed Chattanooga 58-33 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament’s Seattle Regional. .
Keithley added 14 rebounds and Amore hit five 3-pointers for the Hokies (28-4), who won their 12th straight game.
Yaz Wazirood-Dean and Raven Thompson led Chattanooga (20-13) with 10 points apiece. The Moccasins hit their lowest point of the season.
Virginia Tech, which is making its third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, has never failed. The Hokies led by one late in the first quarter, but used a 17-0 run that strung together the first and second quarters to pull away. Amore scored eight points in that run.
Chattanooga, making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2017, struggled against Virginia Tech’s defense. The Moccasins made six field goals in the first half and shot 28.6% (14 of 49) for the game.
Kayanna Traylor had 12 points, and Taylor Soule finished with 10 for the Hokies, who shot 47.9% (23 of 48).
Important advice
Chattanooga: The Moccasins had a great season under first-year coach Sean Poppy, winning 20 games and capturing the Southern Conference tournament championship. Before taking the job, he was an assistant to Kenny Brooks at Virginia Tech. The Mocs will return most of their roster next season and will be a contender to win the league title again.
Virginia Tech: Virginia Tech’s offense gets the plaudits, but its defense is its strength on a 12-game winning streak. The Hokies have held eight straight opponents to under 41% shooting from the floor and 11 under 12 shooting.
Next:
Virginia Tech: The Hokies will face the winner of Southern Cal-South Dakota State on Sunday.
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