The No. 9 Virginia Tech women’s basketball team earned a signature 59-55 win at Tennessee on Sunday as Kayana Traylor scored 18 points.
The Lady Vols, ranked fifth in the preseason AP poll, fell out of the top 25 last week and now sit at 4-5 on the season.
“I told the kids, regardless of what’s going to happen, you’re going to be able to say, ‘I went to Tennessee,’” Tech coach Kenny Brooks said, according to The Roanoke Times. “Now, how do you want to finish the sentence? You go out and play your heart out, you’ll be able to say, ‘We went to Tennessee and got a win.’ That’s something that they’re always going to remember.
“Obviously, Tennessee is the standard for women’s basketball. Always has been.”
Traylor made her first start of the season in place of Ashley Owusu, and she delivered in a big way as Tech managed to hold on to despite scoring just eight points in the final quarter.
“I think it means a lot because last year they came into our house and beat us,” said Tech guard Cayla King. “Definitely didn’t like that feeling. So we got to come here this year, and we got to play in front of a great crowd.
“Especially being in the ACC, we don’t get a chance to come to some SEC schools. Going to Tennessee, it was just a fun environment.”
All-American Elizabeth Kitley scored just six points but had nine rebounds, and others stepped up big with King scoring 11, D’Asia Gregg scoring 10 and Georgia Amoore scoring 10.
Tech won despite shooting just 35.1 percent from the field and 28.1 percent from deep.
The Hokies turned the ball over 16 times, just like the Lady Vols.
Jordan Horston scored a game-high 26 points, pacing Tennessee.
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