January 9, 2002

The Virginia Tech women's basketball team built a huge first-half lead and never looked back in defeating Boston College 73-52 on Jan. 9 in Cassell Coliseum. The win moves the Hokies to 12-2 overall and 3-0 in the BIG EAST, while the Eagles fall to 11-3 and 2-1 in conference play.

Both teams entered the crucial BIG EAST showdown with identical records, eight-game winning streaks and ranked No. 24 in the country, Virginia Tech in the coaches' poll and BC in the Associated Press poll.

Early on, the Hokies looked like the team deserving of a ranking, knocking down their first 8-of-10 shots, including their first five, in building a 22-4 lead over the first 10:57 of the game. But Boston College switched to a halfcourt trap defense and fought its way back into the game. Tech clung to a 34-27 halftime lead.

In the second half, the Eagles pulled to within five points, but that was as close as they would come. The Hokies rode the hot hands of Chrystal Starling (Syracuse, NY) and Ieva Kublina (Riga, Latvia) to their ninth straight win, the second-longest win streak in school history.

Kublina recorded her third straight double-double, the eighth of her career, with a 19-point, 11-rebound performance. She also added five blocks for good measure. The game offered some redemption for Kublina, who suffered through an 0-for-14 shooting night the last time the teams met. Starling dumped in 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting.

Point guard Brianne Stepherson led BC with 16 points, but the Eagles sorely missed the presence of All-BIG EAST center Becky Gottstein, who is out indefinitely with multiple stress fractures. Sophomore center Maureen Leahy was also in street clothes with a stress fracture in her right foot, leaving the Eagles depleted on the interior.

The Hokies' next action will come on Jan. 12 when they travel to Georgetown. The Hoyas are coming off a 67-57 win over Rutgers. The game is slated for a 4 p.m. tip-off