Elizabeth Kitley To Miss March Madness, Virginia Tech's Hopes Of Final Four Repeat Fade

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GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 8: Elizabeth Kitley #33 of the Virginia Tech Hokies looks on from the bench during the first half of the game against the Miami Hurricanes in the Quarterfinals of the ACC Women's Basketball Tournament at Greensboro Coliseum on March 8, 2024 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
Kitley revealed that she suffered an ACL tear during the Hokies' regular-season finale.

Elizabeth Kitley, the star of Virginia Tech's women's basketball team, will miss March Madness due to a torn ACL. "On March 3rd I suffered a knee injury that is keeping me out of this year's NCAA tournament. This is not at all how I anticipated ending this year with my team, but I'm so proud of all of our accomplishments, and I'm excited to see my girls continue to compete. Thank you to all of Hokie Nation for being so supportive during this tough time. I'm looking forward to making a strong comeback," Kitley wrote on Instagram. She is expected to declare for the WNBA Draft after a standout career in Blacksburg.

However, the news is a devastating blow for the four-seed Hokies. Kitley forwent the WNBA Draft last season to play one more year in college. Becoming the all-time ACC leader in rebounds, Kitley catapulted the Hokies to a historic regular-season title. However, she missed the conference tournament due to the aforementioned ACL tear. With Kitley gone, it is unlikely that Virginia Tech will make back-to-back appearances in the Final Four. The Hokies reached that historic benchmark for the first time last year. Virginia Tech's tournament begins against Marshall. However, the road back to the Final Four is guarded by a matchup against USC as well as the potential threats of UConn and Ohio State.

Angel Reese Reveals Breakup, Says She's "Not Ready To Mingle"

Elsewhere, Angel Reese has revealed that she has broken up with her partner, FSU basketball player Cam'Ron Fletcher. “I’m single. I don’t got no man. Don’t attach me to no man. That’s all Imma say. That’s it. I’m not ready to mingle. I am single, but I’m not ready to mingle. I’m just focusing on my college career. I’m focusing on school. That’s all I’m focused on right now and I’m focused on me. I’m not focused on nobody else," Reese announced on Instagram. The couple had been together since June 2023.

However, Reese won't have much time to be in her feelings about the breakup. Reese will lead LSU into March Madness this week, where they will look to defend their 2023 title as a three-seed. However, after they open their tournament against Rice on Friday, things will only get harder for the Tigers. Their quarter of the bracket includes UCLA as a two-seed and Iowa as a one-seed, teams that LSU will have to beat to progress to the final four.

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About The Author
Benjamin Mock (they/them) is a sports and culture writer working out of Philadelphia. Previously writing for the likes of Fixture, Dexerto, Fragster, and Jaxon, Ben has dedicated themselves to engaging and accessible articles about sports, esports, and internet culture. With a love for the weirder stories, you never quite know what to expect from their work.
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