CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The Virginia Tech women’s basketball team missed its first 16 3-point attempts Sunday night.
And that was not the only troubling thing that happened in the game.
No. 19 North Carolina handed Tech its first ACC loss of the season, thrashing the Hokies 71-46 at Carmichael Arena.
The Hokies (11-4, 3-1), who trailed by as many as 32 points in the third quarter, shot a season-low 16.7% from 3-point range. They made just four 3-pointers, tying their season low.
“I didn’t think we were in rhythm,” said point guard Georgia Amoore, who had seven points. “We’re really good when we’re in rhythm, and the shots we took were just rushed and jacked.”
Tech star Aisha Sheppard had to be carried off the court after hurting her left knee on a layup attempt with 8:03 to go in the game. Sheppard, who was not fouled, knelt down after missing the layup. She rose and held her left knee before being carried to the locker room.
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Hokies coach Kenny Brooks said Sheppard had an ice wrap on her knee after the game.
“It looked like she hyperextended it as she went up [to the basket],” Brooks said. “It just kind of buckled. So we’re hoping that it was [only] a hyperextension.”
The Hokies, who trailed 35-17 at halftime, saw their four-game winning streak come to an end.
The Tar Heels (14-1, 4-1), who scored 16 fast-break points, bounced back from a 72-45 loss at No. 5 N.C. State.
Tech was seeking to improve to 4-0 in conference play for the first time since the team won its first six Big East games in the 2001-02 season.
“We didn’t do the things that we have been the first three ACC games,” said center Elizabeth Kitley, who had 14 points and 17 rebounds. “We didn’t take advantage of knowing the scout at all. … We let them take us out of our stuff instead of us controlling what we wanted to do.
“I don’t think we made them uncomfortable at all, … and also we didn’t do a good job in transition [defense].”
The Hokies shot just 31% from the field — their second-worst field-goal percentage of the season.
“We knew that they were going to push us out of our sets,” Amoore said. “But we didn’t make adjustments to their adjustments.”
“We knew they were going to help, over-help, come from the weak side,” Kitley said. “And we didn’t move the ball or swing it or do anything to take advantage of that.”
Sheppard (two points) was just 1 of 7 from the field, including 0 of 5 from 3-point range. Kayana Traylor was 2 of 9 from the field, including 0 of 4 from 3-point territory. Reserve Emily Lytle was 1 of 10 from the field, including 1 of 4 from 3-point …….