Women's Basketball Topped By #25 Virginia Tech on Wednesday
Epps leads the Blue Devils with 16 points, four assists, and three steals.
The Central Connecticut women's basketball team was topped by 25th-ranked Virginia Tech, 81-47, on Wednesday. Senior Aleah Epps led the Blue Devils with 16 points, four assists, and three steals, and freshman Taylor Goode netted 13 points and grabbed six rebounds.
CCSU falls to (1-7), and VT improves to a perfect (9-0), and jumps from #25 to #20 in the National Poll.
The Hokies jumped out to a quick 13-0 lead, in result of four Blue Devil turnovers. Senior Giocelis Reynoso put Central on the scoreboard with 3:14 on the clock, going 1-for-2 from the charity stripe. Goode converted back-to-back layups, who scored a career-high (14 pts) against Syracuse on Sunday. Epps created her own jumpshot in the lane in the final second of the quarter to make the score, 19-7.
In the second period, Epps found a wide open sophomore Andi Lydon in transition at the 6:51 mark to cut the Hokie lead to single digits, 23-14. Goode continued to be a spark on the scoring end for the Blue Devils, making a tough layup past two Hokie defenders (1:29), and draining a three on the following possession off a pass from fellow classmate Kiana Patterson.
At the break, Central's bench out-scored Virginia Tech's, 11-4, through 20 minutes. The Blue Devils shot 33% (9-27) and VT went 16-32 (50%) from the field. Sophomore Sydney Hines grabbed six first half rebounds, and Goode led the way in scoring with nine points heading into the locker room.
VTech was charged with a flagrant one foul early in the third, resulting in Goode cashing in on the opportunity, sinking 2-of-2 from the line. At 2:01, Epps picked the Hokie point guard, Chanette Hicks' pocket, completing the play with an up-an-under lay up, tabbing her 16th point of the game.
The Hokies went 0-11 from beyond the arc, and only out-scored the Blue Devils by one point in the third. Epps notched eight points.
The Blue Devils allowed four three-pointers in the fourth quarter that put the game away. Freshman Cebria Outlow pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds, and added six points in the contest. The nationally ranked ACC squad had four of their five starters tally double-digits against the Devils.
Sidney Cook and Regan Magarity recorded a double-double in points-rebounds; Cook (17-10) and Magarity (15-15). Chanette Hicks scored 16 points, adding five steals, and Vanessa Pagnousis tallied 12 points, including four triples for the Hokies.
The Central Connecticut women will next play host to the Stony Brook Seawolves (2-5) on Sunday, Dec. 11 at Detrick Gymnasium in New Britain, CT. The Seawolves most recently fell to NEC member, LIU Brooklyn, 48-58, on Sunday. The match will be the first home game for the Blue Devils since Nov. 18 when they defeated Vermont in a thrilling, 78-76 win in overtime.
