Women’s Basketball Recap Week 2: Hokies Off to Hot Start Under Duffy

There were questions leading into the first year of the Megan Duffy era.

Matilda Ehk was the only returning player who had averaged over 20 minutes per game the previous year. Everything about this team's tempo, efficiency, and character was unknown. These first two weeks, however, fans already know this isn't just a soft rebuild. 

"These [non-conference games] are really important to build that character and have those reference moments." Megan Duffy said. "[It's important] for a young team and other players in new roles to grow with that."

The Hokies knocked down Coppin State and spoiled Rutgers' undefeated start to advance to 4-1 on the year. Here's how each game looked.

The Hokies were focused on Laila Lawrence and Angel Jones, Coppin State's top scorers, headed into this matchup. While Lawrence showed out with 20 points, that's about it for the Eagles' offense. The Hokies were in their bag defensively. The team combined for seven steals and six blocks, three of which came from sophomore Carys Baker.

Rose Micheaux was the story of the night. She's fitting like a glove into Duffy's system, scoring double-digit points in every appearance. Her career-high 19 points and 11 rebounds led the game and season for the Hokies. Her volume should come as no surprise, given she's the lone senior on the squad, but her efficiency as a scorer was something that'd proven to be inconsistent. That narrative was quiet against Coppin State, as she shot an effective 75% on the night.

The Hokies finished with four starters in the double-digit scoring column. They shot 56.9% from the field, their second-best total on the year so far. After handling business with the MEAC opponent, they had an undefeated Rutgers crew looking to keep Duffy winless against the Big Ten.

There was some worry going into this game from fans. The only taste of competition the Hokies had went sour against Iowa. Last year, they had an excuse named Caitlyn Clark. A lot has changed for both programs, though, and a 19-point loss was a bitter pill to swallow. The Hokies now hosted an undefeated Rutgers team that was sure to give them a run for their money, and they did just that.

For the first three quarters, the Scarlet Knights were pushing the pace. The Hokies were hanging on but knew the opportunities they continued to leave on the board weren't going to get them far. These weren't all tightly defended shots, too. Most were open shots. Opportunities were being schemed very well; the players just couldn't find their rhythm. Going into the half, the team desperately needed a spark.

One of, if not the biggest, storylines for this season was seeing Carleigh Wenzel take over as the top option for the program. She had her coming out party against Marshall in March, but fans were ready to see her take a leap. Safe to say it's Wenzel's world now, and we're just living in it. Every game, she seems more confident. Her shot attempts and efficiency has gone up every week. Rutgers was a different story. She faced adversity, shooting just 4-17 from the field. How'd she make up for it? She was 8-10 from the charity stripe and 3-6 from beyond the arch. Both her free throw and three-point attempts were career highs for her, alongside her 19 points on the night. This was the night they needed from Wenzel. It may not be the standard just yet, but the jump she's made as a sophomore has made her development something Hokie fans should feel comfortable looking forward to.

Carleigh's carnage was just the start of it for the Scarlet Knights.

Rutgers were left gasping for air by the Hokies' offense. Samyha Suffren was seen as a spark plug for the secondary unit. You watch her play, and it looks like she's teleporting across the court. The speedy guard had her biggest night so far as a Hokie, with 16 points on 7-11 shooting paired with a team-leading four assists. The assist column was an underrated storyline in this game. The team total of 18 assists more than doubled Rutgers' eight on the night, the lowest they'd been held to so far this season.

As if they weren't tired enough, Rose Micheaux decided she wanted a piece of the Rutgers pie. Earlier in the week, she'd notched a career-high in rebounds. That accomplishment was short-lived, as she had an astounding 17 boards on Tuesday. Paired with her Liz Kitley-esque stat, she earned her second-straight double-double with her 16 points. It was also her first game this year without a turnover.

"This was a really good character win for us," Rose Micheaux said after the game. "It shows how much we've been working on our culture and what we can do as a team. When adversity hits, all we can do is count on each other and keep pushing through it."

Samyha Suffren stated, "I knew we had it in us. It just took courage and being able to listen to what Coach Duffy had to say. Our potential is through the roof. If we just listen and do everything we can, with all we have, it just shows."

The Hokies' 32-point fourth-quarter rally was the highest-scoring quarter they had since the first quarter played this season. After a feel-good win, they look to go on the road to face Elon and Davidson. The Hokies don't have long before the competition elevates. A victory like that, however, is the perfect to build the character players and fans alike are starting to notice.