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After outscoring No. 15 Notre Dame 28-14 during the fourth quarter Thursday, culminating in a 79-65 victory, Syracuse looks to win seven straight Atlantic Coast Conference games when No. 19 Virginia Tech comes to the JMA Wireless Dome Sunday.

Over the past two games against Pittsburgh and Notre Dame, Syracuse has used strong fourth quarters to pull away from its opponents. In its last four final frames, SU has let up just over 14 points on average. The fourth has been its best quarter since ACC play started, which begs the question: Is Syracuse the team to beat in a loaded ACC?

Next, the Orange face another test in Virginia Tech. The Hokies are the second of three ranked matchups in a row for the Orange as they continue their strenuous conference slate.

Here’s everything to know about No. 19 Virginia Tech (15-4, 6-2 ACC) before it takes on No. 22 Syracuse (17-2, 7-1 ACC):

All-time series

Virginia Tech leads 9-8.

Last time they played…

Then-No. 13 Virginia Tech took down Syracuse 78-64 on Feb. 2, 2022. Despite the double-digit loss, the Orange gave the Hokies their best shot down in Blacksburg. Leading by six after the first quarter and by one at halftime, Syracuse then gave up its lead heading into the fourth and trailed by two.

Virginia Tech used a 14-0 run over the first five minutes of the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach. The Hokies shot 8-for-11 from the field in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Orange 26-14 over the final 10 minutes.

Four Virginia Tech players finished in double figures with Elizabeth Kitley leading the way with 20 points. For Syracuse, Dyaisha Fair tallied a team-high 20 points but shot just 7-for-21 from the field. Georgia Woolley (18) and Alaina Rice (13) were the only other SU players to score more than six points as the Orange shot just under 37%.

The Hokies report

Virginia Tech comes in as one of the most efficient offenses in the country. Kitley is the focal point of the Hokies attack and her post presence gives teams fits in the paint. VT utilizes her skill down low but with double teams sent her way, it opens up its shooters on the perimeter.

The Hokies are the best shooting team in the ACC, knocking down the most 3-pointers (175) — the next closest team is Florida State with 162 in two less games — and shooting the highest percentage from deep (36.8%). They average over nine 3s per game, including hitting more than 10 triples eight times this season.

Along with its stellar shooting, Virginia Tech also rarely turns the ball over. The Hokies cough the ball up just 12.2 times per game which is 11th best in the country, according to HerHoopStats. VT averages 17.5 assists per game which leads the conference, mostly due to the play of Georgia Amoore, who’s third in the country in assists per game with 7.3.

How Syracuse beats Virginia Tech

It’s pretty evident Syracuse’s biggest challenge is going to be stopping Kitley down low, though if the Orange can keep her from having a monster game, they should have a shot. Similar to how Syracuse kept Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo relatively in check — shooting just 7-for-18 from the field — it can then focus on stopping the Hokies’ secondary scorers.

Outside of Kitley, Amoore and Matilda Ekh are the only other players averaging double figures with 17 and 10 points, respectively. Syracuse’s perimeter defense will need to play strong. Whoever matches up with Amoore, whether it’s Rice, Woolley or Fair, will be key in trying to disrupt the flow of the Hokies’ offense.

Winning the rebounding battle will also be key for Syracuse. Ever since its only ACC loss against North Carolina, the Orange have constantly attacked the glass. In the following four games, SU out-rebounded its opponents 248-211.

Stat to know: 3.9 steals per game

Virginia Tech doesn’t play an aggressive brand of defense, highlighted by its 3.9 steals per game, which ranks last in the country. Only five times this season has Virginia Tech registered five or more steals, while Syracuse has hit that mark in every single game.

The most steals in a game for the Hokies this season was against Clemson on Jan. 21 where they finished with 10. Despite not going for steals, Virginia Tech does well at preventing assists from its opponents. The Hokies keep their opponents to just under nine assists per game, which is the sixth-best mark in the country, per HerHoopStats.

Player to watch: Elizabeth Kitley, center, No. 33

Kitley is the two-time reigning ACC Player of the Year and is making a case for becoming the third-ever player to win the award three times in a row. After averaging around 18 points for three straight seasons, Kitley has upped her scoring average to 22.7 while keeping nearly the same efficiency, shooting over 55%. The forward is a double-double machine, registering 13 through her 19 starts.

The graduate student scored a season-high 31 points in 39 minutes against Clemson last Sunday, going 15-of-22 from the field as the Hokies defeated the Tigers 74-62. Kitley will provide a big test for Syracuse’s front court, but the Orange have the bodies to throw at her. Whether it’s Alyssa Latham, Kyra Wood or even Saniaa Wilson off the bench, Syracuse will need each of its bigs to help slow down Kitley.

Published on January 27, 2024 at 5:38 pm

Contact Zak: zakwolf784254@gmail.com | @ZakWolf22