Virginia Tech's national championship hopes appeared to take a significant blow Sunday. Hokies star Elizabeth Kitley was forced to exit VT's 80-75 loss to rival Virginia after appearing to suffer some sort of knee injury.
Kitley, a two-time ACC Player of the Year, is perhaps college basketball's finest paint presence, a mystifying blend of size and polish whose partnership with star guard Georgia Amoore has thrust the Hokies into the upper echelons of college basketball.
With Kitley, Virginia Tech fancies itself national title contenders. Without her, it could struggle to get far during the postseason. The Sporting News fills you in on the latest news and updates on Kitley's status going forward.
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Elizabeth Kitley injury update
Kitley appeared to suffer an injury to her left knee after taking a tumble while hitting a left-handed layup in Sunday's clash with the Cavaliers.
Kitley looked in some discomfort as her teammates came to tend to her wounds. She was eventually escorted to the bench alongside medical personnel. She would not return.
Tech Sideline's Ivan Morozov caught a picture of Kitley resting on the bench with her knee looking quite bruised.
Elizabeth Kitley, from our own @ivanmorozov: https://t.co/qp69CfPDTS pic.twitter.com/GYccTdq7pR
— David Cunningham (@therealdcunna) March 4, 2024
Cameras caught Kitley watching on as the game dwindled down. She looked to have tears in her eyes for a moment.
Here are some of the moments @petebvt is referring too… Hokie Nation is up worried and praying for good news! pic.twitter.com/Ml8I4yc68q
— Nathan Gray (@NategrayNHS) March 4, 2024
Head coach Kenny Brooks was similarly emotive during Virginia Tech's postgame presser. Speaking through tears, Brooks didn't reveal the nature of Kitley's injury out of respect for her privacy.
He did say that Kitley's Hokie teammates are "praying for her."
How long is Elizabeth Kitley out for?
Kitley will not play in the ACC Tournament, per Kenny Brooks on the Virginia Tech radio broadcast.
The plan is for the team to re-evaluate her next week, and then see about a potential return for the national tournament. Her health and future are cited as the Hokies' main concerns.
Kitley was seen warming up before an ACC Tournament game. While she remains out for the tournament, it could be taken as a positive sign for her NCAA Tournament availability.
Kitley shooting in warmups -- she's officially out for this tournament, but this has to bode cautiously well for the NCAAs https://t.co/guF5qzsWg7
— Lindsay Gibbs (@linzsports) March 9, 2024
Elizabeth Kitley 2023-24 season stats
Kitley is in the midst of yet another great season with the Hokies. She's put up 17 games with at least 20 points this season, including Sunday's loss to Virginia.
- 22.8 points per game
- 11.4 rebounds per game
- 1.8 assists per game
- 0.6 steals per game
- 2.1 blocks per game
- 2.1 turnovers per game
- 55.6 percent field goal shooting
- 77.4 percent free throw shooting
