February 2, 2005

Box Score

Virginia Tech 79, Richmond 63

 

BLACKSBURG - The Virginia Tech women's basketball team defeated the visiting Spiders of Richmond, 79-63, Wednesday evening at the Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg.

The Hokies (14-6) finish the regular season 11-2 against non-conference opponents in 2005. For the season, Tech is 7-5 versus opponents with a 50 percent or better record and 17-of-20 opponents this season have had a winning record.

Tech was led by junior Carrie Mason (Seneca, Pa.) and Dawn Chriss (Hillcrest Heights, Md.) who each finished the game with 14 apiece.

Also in double figures was senior Erin Gibson (Galax, Va.) and sophomore Brittany Anderson (Blacksburg, Va.), who both chipped in 10 points on the night.

Junior Kerri Gardin (Morganton, N.C) totaled a team-high and career-high eight assists in the game and tied her career-high with four steals. She also added eight points and eight rebounds.

Mason moved into a tie for second place all-time at Tech for career three-pointers made with 128 in just over three years in Blacksburg. She finished the night with a 2-of-6 clip from beyond the arch.

As a team, the Hokies had a season-high 20 assists in the game and a new season-low for turnovers with 10.

Richmond (16-4) was led by Saona Chapman with 17 points Kate Flavin with 12 points.

In the first half, the Spiders struck first, but the Hokies then went on an 8-0 run to take an 8-2 lead with 16 minutes left to play. Richmond would score off a Flavin jumper, before Tech would increase their lead to eight points at the score 12-4.

With two ticks left on the Spider shot clock, Tanja Miranovic would shoot and make a three-point shot as the buzzer sounded to cut the lead to 17-10 with 12:12 left in the half. They would follow with another three-point basket to move to within four points before Tech would answer with a five-point run and a nine-point advantage.

With 6:31 left in the half, Tech would go on a four-point tear to take a 32-18 advantage and their biggest lead of the night after a Mason steal and lay-up, forcing the Spider bench to call a timeout.

Tech would end the half on top with a 43-26 lead off 18-of-33 shooting for 55 percent, compared to Richmond, who shot 10-of-27 from the floor, for 37 percent.

All nine of Tech's players scored in the first stanza and the Hokies committed only two fouls compared to five for Richmond.

Tech was also ahead in the turnover battle committing only three compared to 10 for the Spiders.

In the second half, the Hokies quickly added to their lead, and with 15:56 left in the game were ahead 49-33 after a basket by Gibson. Tech would then go on a 9-4 run to take a 58-38 lead and never let the Spiders within 17 points for the rest of the night, finishing ahead 79-63.

Tech would dominate the paint in the game, 44 to 30, and winning the battle of the boards, grabbing 35 rebounds, compared to 32 by Richmond.

Tech now begins a two-game Atlantic Coast Conference road trip starting with Miami on Feb. 6 at 4 p.m., before heading to No. 6/9-ranked North Carolina on Feb. 11 for a regionally televised at Carmichael Auditorium for a 7 p.m. tip-off.