The Hokies showed resilience in a tight matchup against North Carolina

On a rainy Thursday night in Blacksburg, the atmosphere inside Cassell Coliseum was anything but gloomy. The Virginia Tech Hokies welcomed the 22nd-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels for a primetime ACC showdown on February 19, 2026, in front of 4,271 fans.

Virginia Tech entered the night riding a two-game win streak after a successful West Coast trip, and early on, the Hokies fed off their home crowd’s energy.

Mackenzie Nelson sparked the momentum with a steal, setting the tone for a defensive battle. Leila Wells grabbed a defensive rebound and quickly found Carleigh Wenzel beyond the arc. Wenzel’s three-pointer splashed through, igniting Cassell. The Hokies’ man defense frustrated North Carolina early, forcing difficult looks and multiple shot clock violations throughout the game.

But the Tar Heels responded. Nyla Harris knocked down a three-pointer, and UNC followed with back-to-back jumpers inside to regain rhythm. Ciara Toomey later connected from deep as North Carolina began to build a lead.

Carys Baker kept Virginia Tech within striking distance, drilling two deep threes to swing the momentum. Samyha Suffren attacked the rim, converting tough layups and trimming the deficit to one. Mel Daley gave the Hokies the lead on a friendly bounce, and Nelson capped the first quarter with a buzzer-beater to put Virginia Tech ahead 18-14.

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The Hokies carried that energy into the second quarter. Suffren continued to battle around the rim, and Virginia Tech’s pressure defense forced a backcourt violation and two shot clock violations in the half. Nelson sprinted coast-to-coast for a layup, and the Hokies went into halftime leading 28-21.

North Carolina adjusted after the break. Despite committing 17 turnovers on the night, the Tar Heels capitalized on key second-half opportunities. India Nivar’s defensive activity, including multiple steals, helped UNC stay within reach. The teams traded baskets throughout the third and fourth quarters, combining for 21 turnovers in a gritty back-and-forth stretch.

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Virginia Tech was perfect from the free-throw line (13-for-13), with Baker knocking down clutch attempts and Wenzel adding a critical three late. Still, UNC clawed back. Lanie Grant’s corner three with under three minutes left gave the Tar Heels a two-point edge. Suffren tied the game with 20 seconds remaining, sending Cassell into a frenzy before the contest moved to overtime.

In overtime, Kilah Freelon scored off an offensive rebound, and Baker hit two clutch free throws to give the Hokies the lead. But Harris answered at the line for UNC, and Grant calmly sank two free throws in the final moments to stretch the margin to three.

Virginia Tech had one last chance, but a missed three-point attempt sealed it.

North Carolina escaped Blacksburg with a 66-63 overtime victory.

Despite the loss, the Hokies showed resilience—leading for over 30 minutes, forcing three shot clock violations, and delivering one of their strongest defensive performances of the season. In a game defined by grit and momentum swings, it was a reminder that in the ACC, every possession matters.