Emery Scores 13 in Fourth to Push Virginia Tech Women’s Basketball into WNIT Final

Virginia Tech women's basketball
Virginia Tech women’s basketball is moving on to the finals of the WNIT in Kenny Brooks’ second season as head coach. (Photo courtesy of Virginia Tech Athletics)

With West Virginia close to capping off a second half comeback, Virginia Tech women’s basketball star Taylor Emery landed the final blow. Emery hit a game-winning three-pointer with 22 seconds left to push the Hokies into the finals of the WNIT with a 64-61 victory.

Emery, who scored 13 of the Hokies’ 16 points in the fourth quarter, finished the night with 23 points on 9-of-20 shooting. Emery hit three three-pointers and recorded five steals. Rachel Camp dropped 14 points, six rebounds and five assists while Regan Magarity finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

The Hokies led throughout the first half and into the third quarter. West Virginia found more success on offense in the second half but failed to close the comeback. Virginia Tech ended the game on an 8-1 run, with West Virginia’s leading scorers Teana Muldrow and Naomi Davenport both missing key shots down the stretch. Muldrow led the Mountaineers with 20 points on 9-of-25 shooting, while Davenport scored 14 points.

Virginia Tech’s defense was stellar in the first half, bottling up the Mountaineers. West Virginia shot just 11-of-35 (31.4 percent) from the field in the first and second quarters, missing all their nine three-point attempts. Meanwhile, the Hokies shot a respectable 43.3 percent from the floor in the first half, hitting four threes in the first quarter alone. Virginia Tech held a 33-25 lead at halftime.

West Virginia turned their shooting around in the third quarter, going on an 11-2 run midway through the period to tie the game at 40. Despite shooting 8-of-17 in the quarter, West Virginia failed to take the lead and trailed 48-45 entering the fourth.

The Mountaineers pulled even once again in the fourth quarter and took a 60-56 lead with 1:49 remaining. However, Emery, Camp and Aisha Sheppard combined to score eight points in the final 1:35 to take the lead, with Emery’s late three-pointer serving as the dagger.

Virginia Tech now moves on to the final of the WNIT against Indiana. The Hoosiers, who easily dispatched TCU in the semifinals, are 21-14 this season with a 9-7 record in the Big Ten. Indiana will have the benefit of hosting the Hokies, and the final will take place on Sat., March 31 at 3 p.m. on the CBS Sports Network.

Virginia Tech box score

12 Responses You are logged in as Test

  1. Big road win and hoping for one more to cap off the season in fine style! GO HOKIES!!!!!

  2. Great win! Way to finish when he tide was turned on the road! Glad the finals are on TV.

  3. Always enjoy Hokie victories vs. the Mountaineers in Morgantown! Great win for Coach Brooks & Lady Hokies! Good luck vs. Hoosiers!

  4. This team has turned into a very offensive team in the last part of the season. Team chemistry shows in their play . l hope they get this last win. Tough place to go to but last night showed they Can. Good Luck

  5. This was an impressive win, over a rival, that made my night.

    Now I hope these Hokies can make my weekend.

  6. You would think the WNIT could at least arrange a neutral court for the final! Cheapskates!

  7. From the beginning, coach Brooks seemed like someone I could root for. Nothing has changed.

    1. Class act and has the program on the rise. Another great hire by Whit.

      And Emery, wow! Such a nice young lady and one heck of a player!

      Go Hokies!!

      1. Always liked Kenny he lived 4 rooms down the hall from me at JMU and could not have been a nicer guy. In fact I think I may have met my wife hanging out with his roommate or the guys next room over.

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