The Virginia Tech Hokies (17-4; 8-2 ACC) have officially established themselves as one of the top programs in the country, following a magical Final Four run in last year’s NCAA Tournament with an impressive start to the 2023-24 season. Despite losing starters Kayana Traylor and Taylor Soule to graduation, the Hokies have remained one of the ACC’s best teams, and they’re currently ranked No. 17 in the country by the Associated Press.
Virginia Tech welcomed center and franchise cornerstone Elizabeth Kitley back for a fifth season—surely a major factor in the Hokies’ consistency—but she’s not the only star in Blacksburg. Point guard Georgia Amoore introduced herself to many with a memorable performance during the NCAA Tournament, and she’s playing better than ever as a senior, taking on additional responsibility as a leader and a playmaker while remaining one of the deadliest jump shooters in Division I.
Though Amoore stands at just 5-foot-6, her game makes her impossible to miss. The Australian guard has expanded her skillset beyond the 3-point bombing that turned her into a household name among women’s basketball fans, developing in key areas that will make her a highly-coveted prospect in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
Honors and statistics
Prior to her time at Virginia Tech, Amoore competed in several international competitions for Australia, winning a gold medal in FIBA’s U16 Women’s Asian Championship and then a bronze medal a year later in the U17 Women’s World Cup.
In her first two seasons as a Hokie, Amoore was a remarkably consistent tertiary offensive option, averaging better than 11 points, two made 3-pointers and four assists per game in both seasons. As a freshman, Amoore was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team by conference coaches, and she earned an All-ACC Honorable Mention nod a season later.
Amoore truly took off during her junior season, averaging 16.7 points and 4.9 assists per game while knocking down 3.1 3-pointers per contest. She earned All-ACC First Team honors, as well as Honorable Mention All-American nods from the Associated Press and WBCA; Amoore was also named the Most Outstanding Player of the Seattle Region for her role in Virginia Tech’s run in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
Prior to her senior season, Amoore was named to watch lists for national awards such as the Wade Trophy, Wooden Award and Naismith Player of the Year. She’s also currently in consideration for the Nancy Lieberman Award, given annually to the top point guard in Division I.
Amoore’s shooting and playmaking make her a potent offensive player
During Amoore’s career at Virginia Tech, the Hokies’ offense has been one of the most methodical in the nation, heavily emphasizing Kitley post-ups in the halfcourt in lieu of transition play. In fact, thus far in 2023-24, Virginia Tech ranks in just the first percentile in transition frequency at 9.4 percent (Synergy Sports), and Her Hoop Stats has the Hokies in the bottom third of Division I teams in possessions per 40 minutes at 69.3.
Virginia Tech is extremely efficient with those possessions, however, and a large part of that is thanks to its star point guard. When it comes to ceiling-raising guard play, Amoore is on a short list of Division I ballhandlers who can stretch opposing defenses well beyond the 3-point line, making her the ideal complement to Kitley; part of the reason Virginia Tech’s offense (113.1 points per 100 possessions) is so potent is because it can score both in the paint and beyond the arc at a high level, and opposing defenses simply can’t take away both at the same time.
This simple but effective recipe for success was on full display during the 2023 NCAA Tournament, when Amoore put on a dazzling display of jump shooting. She’s no ordinary 3-point shooter; while defenses wouldn’t dare leave Amoore open without the ball, her ability to raise up and knock down long-range shots off the dribble and several feet behind the 3-point line makes it that much tougher to deny her shot attempts, and it adds a wrinkle to Virginia Tech’s offense that few teams are able to account for.
Highlights: Amoore’s offensive arsenal on display in the 2023 NCAA Tournament
It’s that devastating shooting that opens up the rest of Amoore’s game. While conventional basketball knowledge might encourage teams to play “inside out”—and the Hokies certainly do—Amoore herself does the opposite, starting with her long-range shooting and then finding scoring opportunities elsewhere on the floor if opponents overcompensate. Oftentimes, simply the threat of Amoore shooting is enough to compromise defenses; she’s currently getting up 9.5 threes per game, more than any other player in Division I, and she’s learning how to use that to benefit her game in other areas.
“Coach Brooks has placed stress on me that everything I’m able to do comes from me being a threat from 3,” Amoore told ACC media last October. “I can’t be a good pass without being a threat. I can’t drive without being a threat from three. So just remembering that that is my number one priority, and keeping up with that is going to help me on every other aspect.”
There’s no doubt about it: Amoore is still improving, and the Hokies have been all the better for it. This season, she’s averaging career-bests in both scoring (17.6 points) and distributing (7.5 assists) despite having more on her plate than in previous seasons (28.5 percent usage rate). Amoore has also improved significantly from 2-point range, shooting nearly 10 percentage points better than last season at 54 percent.
These are all details that matter when considering Amoore’s chances at the next level. 5-foot-6 is 5-foot-6. But if Amoore’s improvements in 2-point scoring and playmaking are to be believed, she boasts a healthy range of skills that will make WNBA general managers and coaches more than willing to look past her size and take a chance on a player who could one day be one of the best shooters in the league.
Watch her play
Virginia Tech has several nationally-televised games remaining in its ACC schedule, including a matchup against the No. 24 North Carolina Tar Heels this Sunday, Feb. 4 (ESPN). Later, the Hokies will play the No. 16 Louisville Cardinals on Sunday, Feb. 18 and the No. 14 Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Thursday, Feb. 29; both of these games will be aired on ESPN.
Beginning Wednesday, March 6, Virginia Tech will compete in the ACC Tournament. Each of these games will be broadcast via the ACC Network. Should the Hokies make the ACC Tournament championship game on Sunday, March 10, they’d be playing in front of a national audience on ESPN.
All statistics and team records for the 2023-24 NCAA season are current through Feb. 3, 2024.
