Top-Seeded Hokies Winners of 13 in Row
With UConn and Tennessee, who haven’t played in the NCAA tournament since 2004, both in the Seattle 3 regional, it might be easy to forget that Virginia Tech is the No. 1 seed in the bracket.
Virginia Tech has won 13 straight games, 11 by double figures. and the Hokies look like a No. 1 seed with how they took care of business in the first two NCAA Tournament games. Tennessee is 8-2 over the last 10 games with both losses to No. 1 South Carolina and a win over LSU coming during the stretch.
Tennessee has won by 45 and 47 points in the first two tournament games as the run so far is reminiscent of some of the great Pat Summitt-coached teams. Perhaps that is why the women’s college basketball odds lists this game as a Pick’em.
Tennessee is just 1-8 against ranked teams this season while Virginia Tech won six of its eight matchups versus ranked squads.
When looking at the women’s college basketball news, Maryland transfer Ashley Owusu hasn’t played since Feb. 20 for Virginia Tech. The other six players averaging more than 10 minutes per game have missed a combined total of two games this season.
For Tennessee, senior post player Tamari Key hasn’t played since its loss to Virginia Tech on Dec. 4 while sophomore Marta Suarez has been sidelined since late December.
Virginia Tech is fourth in the Associated Press Top 25 poll and fifth in the coaches’ poll. Tennessee is 24th in the AP poll and came 31 points shy of being in the top 25 in the coaches’ poll.
According to the women’s college basketball lines, Virginia Tech (+2200) is fifth and Tennessee (+3000) sixth in the odds to win women’s college basketball national title.
Dynamic Duo Leads Tennessee
The great Tennessee teams usually had at least two dynamic offensive players leading the way. The duo of Rickea Jackson and Jordan Horston has led the way for the Lady Vols.
Jackson has scored in double figures in 24 straight games, including 11 games with at least 20 points.
Horston reached double digits nine times in the last 10 games. She is averaging 15.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists and is a threat for a triple-double each time she steps onto the court. Jackson is averaging 15 points in the NCAA Tournament.
An issue for Tennessee has been a lack of scoring depth, especially since the injury to Key.
Jordan Walker is the only other Tennessee player to average at least 10 points in the NCAA Tournament. That hasn’t stopped plenty of money coming in on Tennessee from those betting online.
It’s Amoore For the Hokies
Other guards might garner more attention. However, it might be hard to find somebody playing as well as Virginia Tech junior Georgia Amoore.
She has scored at least 20 points in each of the last four games, and in the two NCAA Tournament games, she has 43 points and 13 3-pointers.
Amoore played every minute in both the semifinal and title game in the ACC tournament and in the second-round win over San Diego State. She has played all 40 minutes nine times this season with Virginia Tech going 7-2 in those games.
Amoore’s ability to connect from 3-point range opens up room for post player Elizabeth Kitley as Virginia Tech thrives on the outside-inside scoring threats.
The best of the best pic.twitter.com/tVvBAqpfgQ
— Virginia Tech Women’s Basketball (@HokiesWBB) March 22, 2023
One of Amoore’s worst-shooting games came against Tennessee when she was 2 of 14 from the field and 2 for 12 from 3-point range.
Virginia Tech vs Tennessee Head-to-Head
Tennessee leads the series 8-3. However, Virginia Tech has won three of the last four meetings.
When the teams played on Dec. 4, Kayana Traylor’s 18 points lifted the Hokies to the 59-56 win.
Tennessee won the only matchup in the NCAA Tournament 68-52 in 1999.
Each of the last three meetings have been decided by six points or less.
Virginia Tech vs Tennessee Game Information
- Game: Tennessee (25-11) vs Virginia Tech (29-4)
- Location: Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA
- Day/Time: Saturday, March 25, 6:30 p.m. ET
- Virginia Tech vs Tennessee Live Stream: TBS.com
Virginia Tech vs Tennessee Betting Lines
Virginia Tech vs Tennessee Picks and Prediction
It is hard to believe that Tennessee, once the dominant force in women’s basketball, hasn’t reached the Elite Eight since 2016. The Volunteers haven’t been in the Final Four since winning the 2007 national title.
Defense is Virginia Tech’s calling card as the Hokies were second in the ACC in scoring defense, allowing 57.1 points per game.
The teams shot 35.1 and 33.3% in the meeting during the regular season and were a combined 11 of 46 from 3-point range.
Tennessee dominated in the rebounding department with a 46-31 advantage and had twice as many offensive rebounds as the Hokies.
Tennessee is 6-8 when being held to less than 70 points so that is something to keep in mind for those who bet online. It is pretty hard to pick against the top-seeded Hokies in this one even though a potential UConn-Tennessee game with a spot in the Final Four on the line would make for great theater.
The game could be decided by the production from the role players as both teams have a pair of dynamic offensive players.
