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ACC team-by-team previews: Notre Dame, Duke battle for the top

By Arielle Chambers

TALLAHASSEE, FL - JANUARY 12: Asia Durr (25) guard Louisville Cardinals stumbles with the basketball against Brittany Brown (12) guard Florida State University (FSU) Seminoles in an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) match-up on Thursday, January 12, 2017, at Donald L. Tucker Civic Center in Tallahassee, Florida. FSU wins 65-72. (Photo by David Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TALLAHASSEE, FL - JANUARY 12: Asia Durr (25) guard Louisville Cardinals stumbles with the basketball against Brittany Brown (12) guard Florida State University (FSU) Seminoles in an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) match-up on Thursday, January 12, 2017, at Donald L. Tucker Civic Center in Tallahassee, Florida. FSU wins 65-72. (Photo by David Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Virginia Tech

Projected finish: 11th

Last year’s record: 20-14, 4-12 ACC

Key Returners (last season’s stats)

F- Regan Magarity, 6’3, (Norrkoping, Sweden), R-JR-  13.5 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 33.4 MPG; 15 double doubles on season; set; only player in ACC to average a double-double (13.8 points, 10.3 rebounds).

G- Chanette Hicks, 5’6, (Norfolk, VA), JR- 16.1 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 33.0 MPG; program record for steals in a season (123).

Biggest losses (last season’s stats)

F-Sidney Cook, 6’2, (Parkton, NC), SR- 12.7 PPG, 8.2 RPG.

CORAL GABLES, FL – JANUARY 11: Va. Tech forward Regan Magarity
CORAL GABLES, FL – JANUARY 11: Va. Tech forward Regan Magarity /

Newcomers                                                                                                     

G-Aisha Sheppard, 5’9, (Alexandria, VA), FR- espnW HoopGurlz five-star recruit ranked 34th, All-Metro Player of the Year.

G- Taylor Emery, 5’10, (Tampa, FL), JR- 19.0 PPG, 3.9 RPG; WBCA Player of the Year, Spalding NJCAA Player of the Year, Third Team All-American.

Head Coach

Kenny Brooks, 2nd season

“We have a lot of new faces this year [and we’re] taking everything slow.. to implement our system to young ladies who didnt play,” Brooks said. “We will be deeper and more athletic. Chemistry is going to be the biggest issue with us this year until we can find our identity.”

COLLEGE PARK, MD – NOVEMBER 20: Head Coach Kenny Brooks
COLLEGE PARK, MD – NOVEMBER 20: Head Coach Kenny Brooks /

Key non-conference games

Nov. 25-West Virginia

Nov. 30- @ Illinois

Outlook

Coming off of the first 20-win season Virginia Tech has had since the ’05-’06 team, things are looking up for the Hokies. They started off strong before slumping toward the end of the ’16-’17 conference schedule.

It is no secret that a new coach must deal with the ebbs and flows of assimilating new ways of doing things, and frankly, Coach Brooks claimed “last year [VA Tech] wasn’t ready” to be as successful as anticipated.

This year, however, they return forward Regan Magarity, who averaged a double-double, as well as guard Chanette Hicks who can not only score, but is a pesky defender who stripped the ball from her opponent 123 times last season.

Adding freshman Aisha Sheppard to the backcourt will be an asset to the depth Coach Brooks said was lacking last year. He expects the team to be “fast and shoot super well from long distance.”

Though speed and offense are predicted to be a VA Tech staple, the team is still working to improve defensively. Rebounding will be a point of emphasis for them, though it is unclear who will fill the void of Sidney Cook.

With a six-player, injury plagued ’16-’17 team, they just lacked depth. This year, the Hokies are easily nine-deep.

Best case scenario:

Virginia Tech develops into the team they were predicted to be last season. They move the ball well and set the tempo for other teams. They hold their own in the ACC and go on to the NCAA tournament.

Worst case scenario:

Cannot seem to lock down defensively and let games slip away due to lack defensive maturity and overall chemistry.

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