The question on everyone’s minds this week as the Atlantic Coast Conference women’s basketball tournament got underway in Greensboro, North Carolina was about Elizabeth Kitley.
Would the three-time ACC Player of the Year suit up for the top-seeded Virginia Tech Hokies after injuring her left leg?
Fans got an answer on Friday. Kitley – the only player in the country this season averaging at least 22 points and 11 rebounds per game – did not dress for Virginia Tech’s win over Miami in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals, and Hokies’ coach Kenny Brooks said afterwards that she would not play at all in Greensboro:
“First and foremost, her health and safety is everything that we’re worried about, and no basketball game or games or anything is going to supersede that. So, we’re going to make sure. We’re taking it slow. Rehab is going well. She’s diligently rehabbing. We made the decision – she will not play this tournament, regardless of how far we go. No offense, but we really feel like we want to focus and really make that run that we did last year. So, another week is going to be able to do some wonders, not only from a physical standpoint but from an emotional standpoint. She will not play this tournament, the rest of the tournament, and then we will reevaluate when the time is right next week and see where we go.”
Based on what Brooks said, this much is clear: The Hokies have high aspirations of making a deep run in the NCAA tournament after appearing the Final Four for the first time ever last season. And he’s at least hopeful that – with what will be about two-and-half weeks of rest and rehab – that Kitley will be able to play for the Hokies when they get to the Big Dance.
What is still unclear is what kind of injury Kitley suffered and how severe it is.
Kitley – recently named an All-American by the Athletic, and a finalist for the Lisa Leslie Award – suffered the injury during the third quarter of Virginia Tech’s loss at rival Virginia last Sunday. Kitley’s left leg seemed to buckle after she landed upon scoring on a transition layup. She was helped off the court and did not return to the game.
In her absence on Friday in the ACC Tournament, freshman forward Clara Strack played 27 minutes at center and finished with 10 points and five rebounds. Senior forward Olivia Summiel led the Hokies in rebounding with eight. Georgia Amoore – a star in her own right – powered Virginia Tech to a 55-47 victory with 27 points.
“We knew without the presence of Liz on the floor to lock down and get as many boards as we could,” Summiel told For The Win. “I definitely felt like I needed to bring that today… I think we really had to band together as a team and (Kitley’s injury) has brought us even closer. We might not have our franchise player out there, but you know, we’re going to do it for her and make things work.”
