On Tuesday at the ACC Tip-Off — the conference’s annual media day event in Charlotte — Georgia Amoore’s name came up quite a bit, and for good reason. Amoore, a guard at Virginia Tech entering her fourth season, is coming off a year in which she was named ACC Tournament MVP and the Most Outstanding Player of the Seattle 3 Regional. She also broke the Hokies’ program record for career assists last season and set the mark for the most 3-pointers made in a single season as Virginia Tech advanced to its first-ever Final Four.
And players around the ACC have taken notice of Amoore’s skills. North Carolina’s Deja Kelly recognized Amoore’s talents when both were part of Kelsey Plum’s “Dawg Class” in April. Plum was teaching the players different footwork techniques and Amoore executed a step-back with relative ease. Kelly turned to her and said, “Listen, you better not pull that out when we play you.”
Amoore received votes for a spot on the AP All-American Preseason Team that was released earlier this week. On Nov. 9 in Charlotte, she’ll go toe-to-toe with the team’s lone unanimous selection, Caitlin Clark. And later in month, she and Virginia Tech will get another shot at LSU.
A handful players named the 5-foot-6 Australian guard as the best player in the league when they were polled by For The Win on a variety of topics on Tuesday at ACC Tip-Off. And Kelly’s name came up too as the players dished on top scorers, best arenas, worst locker rooms, basketball movies and pregame meals.
Who is the best player in the ACC that is not on your team?
- Ta’Niya Latson, Florida State: “Georgia Amoore, honestly. She’s really good.”
- Cayla King, Virginia Tech: “I have UNC on my mind right now, so I’ll say Deja Kelly. I respect her game. She’s relentless on the court.”
- Tonie Morgan, Georgia Tech: “Georgia Amoore. She can score at all three levels, has a quick step back, finds her teammates.”
- JoJo Lacey, Boston College: “In the ACC, I would give it to Deja Kelly.”
- Kyra Wood, Syracuse: “Elizabeth Kitley.”
- Marley Washenitz, Pitt: “Georgia Amoore.”
- Liatu King, Pitt: “Elizabeth Kitley. She’s an all-around dominant scorer, she’s hard to guard, and she’s not limited to being a back-to-the-basket post.”
Which road arena is your favorite to play in?
- Latson: “I would say Virginia. Virginia has a pretty good one.”
- C. King: “N.C. State. One, because it’s close to home, but two, because it’s really nice. And I think having the fans so close makes it a fun arena to play in and they always sell it out.”
- Morgan: “Personally, FSU, because I’m from Tallahassee.”
- Lacey: “Louisville. It’s usually packed and very loud. It’s a big gym and you feel like you’re in the center of the stage and the lights go on and off. It’s a great environment.”
- Kaia Harrison, Wake Forest: “N.C. State, because they have their own women’s basketball arena and it makes the environment a lot better. They have some pretty tough fans.”
- Wood: “I like Louisville, I really do. Their seats give like, cinema vibes.”
- Reigan Richardson, Duke: “I say probably Carolina. I just like their atmosphere.”
- Washenitz: “Louisville was so fun.”
Which road arena is your least favorite to play in?
- Latson: “UNC. It’s like playing in outer space. I just don’t like it.”
- C. King: “Syracuse. Personally, being a 3-point shooter playing in a football stadium, the depth perception every now and then throws me off. And traveling there in January is not the most fun.”
- Morgan: “Wake Forest.”
- Lacey: “Duke. It’s small and it reminds me of my high school gym where the bleachers are right behind you.”
- Harrison: “Louisville. They have a lot of fans and it’s a lot of loudness.”
- Wood: “Honestly, FSU.”
- Washenitz: “Syracuse.”
- L. King: “Syracuse, just because it’s weirdly positioned in a football dome.”
Who has the best visitors’ locker room?
- Latson: “Virginia. I just liked their facilities. Pretty nice, pretty cool.”
- C. King: “I think Virginia might have the most space.”
- Morgan: “Miami’s were OK. UNC was OK. They were all pretty decent.”
- Lacey: “Probably Clemson.”
- Harrison: “Miami.”
- Wood: “Duke wasn’t too bad.”
- Washenitz: “Louisville had a good one.”
Who has the worst visitors’ locker room?
- Latson: “UNC. Super old.”
- C. King: “N.C. State might be the smallest. Definitely crammed in there.”
- Lacey: “Probably N.C. State.”
- Wood: “Georgia Tech. I hated it.”
- L. King: “Probably N.C. State. It’s real small and compact and it’s one-way.”
What’s your favorite basketball movie?
Latson: “Love & Basketball, of course.”
C. King: “Hoosiers. My dad would always watch that with me.”
Morgan: “Like Mike.”
Lacey: “I would say Love & Basketball.”
Harrison: “Love & Basketball or Coach Carter.”
Wood: “Love & Basketball.”
Richardson: “Probably Love & Basketball or Coach Carter.”
Washenitz: “Rebound. It’s so funny.”
L. King: “Love & Basketball.”
What’s your go-to pregame meal or snack?
- Latson: “I barely eat before games, I’m so nervous. But, probably a salad with some salmon and rice.”
- C. King: “I stick pretty basic. I just eat some buttered noodles and a baked potato with some sour cream.”
- Morgan: “Salmon, pasta, a vegetable – and if I don’t get pasta, then potatoes.”
- Lacey: “A good grilled chicken garden salad. I love salad and I love chicken, and I’ll add cucumbers, carrots, peppers. That’s really good.”
- Harrison: “Usually salmon and mashed potatoes, something like that. A snack would be fruit, like grapes or pineapple.”
- Wood: “I do a good chicken alfredo.”
- Richardson: “Tacos or pasta.”
- Washenitz: “Carbs, like some pasta.”
- L. King: “I really do like eating pasta. I think it helps with just giving me energy. I don’t know, maybe that’s something I’m telling myself. But I really do like pasta with some chicken, and you know, throw some veggies somewhere. And then I also like to have some type of bread.”
What should the NCAA do to improve women’s college basketball?
- Latson: “Broadcast us a little bit more. Broadcast us like the guys. I feel like that’s really important for us. Get us out there.”
- C. King: “As much as they can, just try to bring more games to ESPN. We got lucky and have six or seven this year. I think if you put more games that are easily available – because sometimes they’re on (ACC Network Extra), which even my family can’t find what channel it’s on – but I think if you put it out there and make it easy to watch, people will watch.”
- Morgan: “Broadcast it on more big channels. ESPN and stuff. That’ll help, for sure.”
- Lacey: “Publicizing it more. Once people put women’s basketball on the map, it’s kind of hard to ignore. Like the national championship game this year, it had so many views and streamers, the most it’s ever had, because people hyped it up so much… Put an emphasis on women’s basketball, that it’s not boring, you just have to take the time to watch it and you’ll understand why it’s so exciting.”
- Harrison: “I think they’ve already done so much to improve it and I think it’s still growing as we speak. I mean, the March Madness last year is just an example of that.”
- Wood: “The men get shoes, they get this, they get that, the whole thing. For women, you get, not hand-downs, but people aren’t as bought in to the process. The little stuff matters… I feel like investing in us is really the biggest thing that the NCAA can do for us.”
- Richardson: “I feel like the NCAA can do a lot more advertising women’s sports.”
- Washenitz: “I think the NCAA should improve just giving equal opportunities as the men’s, TV wise. I know men’s kind of get a little bit more favorited when it comes to TV time.”
Which of your ACC opponents have the best uniforms?
- Latson: “I like N.C. State’s pink jerseys. I don’t really like Adidas, but I like theirs.”
- C. King: “I remember liking Duke’s black uniforms last year. N.C. State has some cool ones. Adidas has a throwback jersey for Miami, I like those.”
- Morgan: “Miami, for sure.”
- Lacey: “I think Louisville’s are kind of nice. I like the way it’s cut.”
- Harrison: “I can’t really pinpoint one, but I think all the Nike jerseys are pretty fire.”
- Wood: “UNC. I like the Jordan stuff.”
- Washenitz: “I like North Carolina’s, and Duke too. They’re both classics.”
- L. King: “I like UNC’s jerseys. Miami’s pink game jerseys too.”
