Takeaways from Tech's rout of The Shore Wednesday night

Program best 39-point third quarter keys victory that keep Hokies perfect at home

December 7, 2017

BLACKSBURG- Playing the second game of a doubleheader on Carilion Clinic Court following the Virginia Tech men’s basketball team’s victory over Radford, Regan Magarity and the Hokies took care of the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks 90-52 late Wednesday night.

The Hokies came out and struggled to score in the opening 10 minutes, shooting 37.5 percent from the field and finding themselves down one point, 19-18. A 9-0 run to close the half put the Hokies on top and they would not look back, scoring a program-record 39 points in the third quarter.

Tech shot the ball particularly well in the second half, 53 percent from the field and 55 percent from behind the arc, and capitalized on its opportunities from the free-throw line, going 14 of 18.

In the second half, the Hokies were aided by the return of Chanette Hicks to the floor. Hicks played a season-low 17 minutes due to foul trouble.

Coach Brooks sounds off on the game - “A tale of two halves…It definitely wasn’t the halftime speech. It was just getting our pieces in the proper places and having them available. Our margin of error is very slim right now with injuries, and trying to move people around and trying to play a whole half without your point guard can make things a little disjointed.”

Michelle Berry records first double-double at Virginia Tech - Forward Michelle Berry followed up her 13-rebound performance on Sunday against Radford with her first career double-double for the Hokies on Wednesday night. She tallied 12 points and 12 rebounds in 30 minutes of action, the most she’s seen this season.

“The last few games, she’s just really buckled down and understood the way that she’s going to help the team the most right now and shake off that rust off is by rebounding the basketball and playing good defense,” Brooks said. “She’s doing a really, really good job of that, and she looks more and more comfortable. We need her in there battling and rebounding the ball. She did a really good job and I’m proud of her.”

Kendyl Brooks finds her range- Sophomore sharpshooter Kendyl Brooks hit four triples for the third time this season, but just the first since the game against USC Upstate on Nov. 17.

“She’s a weapon for us whether she shoots it or not because they’re face-guarding her,” Kenny Brooks said. “When they face guard her, it leaves lanes open for Chanette or for Taylor Emery, and it doesn’t allow them to double down on Regan when she’s out there.”

Kendyl Brooks has also been making an impact cleaning the glass for the Hokies. In each of the past two games, she has pulled down five rebounds, her career best mark.

Magarity a constant source of production for the Hokies - Over the last three games, forward Regan Magarity has tallied three games of 20 points or more, as well as two double-doubles. Over that span, she is shooting 56 percent from the field, including 46 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.

“Regan is one of the highest IQ kids I’ve ever coached,” Brooks said. “She just understands the game and she’s got a career in coaching if she wants it because she knows where she’s supposed to be. She makes up for a lot of our mistakes because she does a lot of different things.”

Next up - The Hokies hit the road for a two-game swing beginning Sunday with a 3:30 tip against Chattanooga, which can be viewed on ESPN3. On Tuesday, Dec. 12, Tech travels to Long Branch, New Jersey to face the Monmouth Hawks at 7 p.m., a game which can also be viewed on ESPN3.

“I’m a big proponent of traveling and not just playing every game in Cassell because we’ve got to learn how to win on the road,” Brooks said. “We have to go on the road, and it’s going to be a good crowd. They have good crowds, good support for their women’s basketball teams, and it will be a good test for us.”

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