Welcome to Second Guess Tuesday. Here are the opinions du jour:
- Will Elizabeth Kitley be able to play against Marshall on Friday or not?
That is the gist of the NCAA women’s basketball matchup between Marshall University and Virginia Tech at 3:30 p.m. Friday at Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, Virginia.
It all comes down to Kitley.
The 6-foot-6 senior, who led the Hokies to the Final Four in 2023, is sidelined with an injury to her left leg that she suffered last weekend at Virginia, according to Tech coach Kenny Brooks.
“Obviously,” Brooks was quoted, “we’re just waiting and praying for good results.”
That’s because she is a game-changer.
Kitley is averaging 22.8 points, 11.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots with a .556 field goal shooting percentage.
It comes as no surprise that she is Virginia Tech’s all-time scoring and rebounding leader.
The Hokies also have Georgia Amoore, who averages 19.2 points with 6.9 assists and 81 3-pointers. A third threat is Matilda Ekh, who averages 9.8 points with 69 treys on .388 shooting.
Kitley & Co. is why Virginia Tech is a No. 4 seed, while underdog Marshall (26-6) is a No. 13 seed.
The intriguing part, however, is injuries are the great equalizer.
As it stands now, if Kitley is unable to play, it could turn this game into a toss-up. That easily could become the key factor in this game.
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Particularly since location really doesn’t enter the equation.
“I’m happy we’re going to play close,” said Kim Caldwell of the 190-mile trip. “Tough matchup, but I think we’re going to get a good crowd. I think we’ll have a lot of people there in green, so that will be nice.”
Considering the circumstances, this matchup could turn into a much more competitive game than expected.
So, here’s some advice.
Don’t write off Marshall.
- The bigger they get, the more particular they are.
That’s an apt description of big-time basketball coaches these days. Just check out the list of coaches who turned down invitations to play in the NIT.
The list begins with Rick Pitino at St. John’s. Then there are coaches at Pittsburgh, Memphis, Ole Miss, Oklahoma and Indiana that also declined.
If they don’t want to play, these coaches should step down and retire. They obviously don’t possess that competitive edge any longer.
- I basically have known Hunter Moles since he was born.
As a close friend of the family, I kept tabs on him as he grew up. And now? Well, right before my eyes, Moles has become an outstanding high school basketball coach. In fact, he just led Charleston Catholic to the Class AA state championship during the high school boys basketball state tournament last week in Charleston.
What a thrill.
Thanks, Hunter.
