Ticket Market Place
Sports Radio Network | 
Travel Center & Info
Emery's 21 points lifts Tech to victory over UCF
A balanced scoring attack featuring four players in double figures headlines an 86-69 win
November 19, 2017
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 UCF (2-2) | 19 | 11 | 15 | 24 | 69 |
 Virginia Tech (4-0) | 19 | 26 | 11 | 30 | 86 |
| |||||
BLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech guard Taylor Emery scored 21 points to lift the Hokies an 86-69 non-conference victory over UCF at Carilion Clinic Court on Sunday night.
With the win, the Hokies moved to 4-0, winning all four of their home games to start the 2017-18 season. UCF fell to 2-2 overall.
“We’ll take it,” Tech head coach Kenny Brooks said. “At this stretch of the season, and you’re trying to learn so much, every game is going to be a little bit different. It’s like with Forest Gump – life is like a box of chocolates. Every game right now is like a box of chocolates. You don’t know where you going to get production from, from what kid game in and game out, especially when we’re so new and we’re trying to learn the character of this team. We’ve had four games and had four different people step up and play significant roles.
“We’ve got to get better production from our bench. Nothing against what they’ve done, we just need more energy. We have some kids who are really trying to shake off some rust. You’ve got Michelle Berry, who sat out last year, and Rachel Camp, who set out last year. We’re just trying to incorporate them into our games. I think that will come.
“This was a good win over a very scrappy UCF team. They make you play their style, with a lot of trapping and a lot fouling, and it kind of prolongs the game, but I thought we did a good job in the second quarter … All in all, I thought this was a good win for us, and we’ll get ready for Thanksgiving now.
Unlike in its previous two games, the Hokies didn’t wait until the second half to put the game away. Against the Knights, Tech took care of things in the second quarter, and specifically, the end of it, as the Hokies went on a 15-4 run to close the first half and take a 45-30 lead.
Kendyl Brooks hit two 3-pointers in that run and Alexis Jean scored four points. Tech shot 50 percent from the floor in that second quarter and made all seven of its free-throw attempts.
Emery connected on 5 of 13 from the floor and made all 10 of her free-throw attempts for the Hokies, who connected on 26 of 30 (86.7 percent) from the free-throw line.
Jean added 18 points and six rebounds for Tech, while Chanette Hicks enjoyed a nice all-around game with 15 points, eight assists and three steals. Regan Magarity added 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Korneila Wright and Aliyah Gregory paced the Knights with 18 points each.
GAME NOTES
• The Hokies moved to 20-0 in regular-season non-conference games under Kenny Brooks. Their lone non-conference loss under Brooks came in last year’s WNIT.
• Tech hit six 3-pointers in the game and now have hit at least five 3-pointers in 11 straight games dating back to last season. The Hokies are 8-3 in those games.
• Kendyl Brooks drained three 3-pointers and now has made at least one 3-pointer in 12 consecutive games. She has made at least one in 32 of the 36 games that she’s played in during her career.
• Hicks recorded three steals against UCF and has registered at least three steals in 45 games in her career. She has recorded at least one steal in 67 of her 70 career games.
• Hicks now has 228 steals in her career and needs just 25 more to break the school’s all-time record for steals (252, Taiqua Brittingham, 1981-85)
• Magarity’s double-double marked her second straight and the 18th of her career.
UP NEXT
The Hokies hit the road for the first time this season when they travel to Florida to compete in the Paradise Jam being played in Melbourne, Florida after being moved from the Virgin Islands because of the devastation caused by the hurricanes. Tech will open with a game against Drexel on Thursday afternoon at 2:30.
For updates on Virginia Tech women's basketball, follow the Hokies on Twitter Follow @HokiesWBB
