Virginia Tech Women’s Basketball Controls UVA 76-64 To Win Its Seven Straight Game - A Deep Dive

Sunday was a special day for the women’s basketball program in Blacksburg. It celebrated 50 years of women’s basketball at Virginia Tech and defeated its in-state arch rival 76-65 for its seven straight win. 

“First and foremost, this was a special weekend for us celebrating the 50th anniversary of women’s basketball at VT, I heard maybe it was 55 years,” Tech Head Coach Megan Duffy said, “Just to have our alumns in the building and decades of people who have paved the way for us was really special.”

She was also complimentary of her team, “I am just extremely proud and grateful for the grit and effort they showed tonight. Hard-nosed, physical game. I thought they were just relentless with staying in the moment, fighting for each other, fixing things as we went. Overall, just love the grit of this team.”

Both Tech and UVA came into the game with a lot on the line. Both teams were tied at 7-3 in the ACC standings. Charlie Creme had the Hokies as one of his Last Four Teams In (for the March tournament) and UVA as one of his “Last Four Teams Out.” The winner would continue to solidify its resume whereas the loser of the game would face a steeper climb. But to Virginia Tech junior guard Carleigh Wenzel, the game was not about being on the proverbial bubble. Wenzel said, “t is in the back of everyone’s head. At the end of the day, it is just a rivalry. I think that is when you come out, are swinging. I think both teams played at a very high pace and a high competitiveness. That is what rivalry games are. I don’t think it was really thought about as ACC standings or bubble terms. It was more like we are going at each other because we are competing for the state. They are a great team. We are a great team. So, just competing at the end of the day.”

GAME SUMMARY

FIRST QUARTER

UVA and Tech came out trading blows.  UVA struck first with a transition layup after a turnover by Tech. Carleigh Wenzel came right back with a driving layup against contact. Wenzel followed that up with a pass to Wells, cutting backdoor from the corner for another layup.  The Cavaliers went right back inside only for Mackenzie Nelson to over the top to Wells for another layup.  Tech began to turn up the defensive intensity with three straight stops, including blocks by Wenzel and Baker.

Meanwhile, the Hokies got on a roll as Samyha Suffren knocked down two mid-range jump shots in a row to put Tech up 10-4.  However, UVA did not go away. Two scores at the basket with accompanying free throws put the two teams in a 10-10 tie.  The Cavaliers finished the quarter with momentum and a 12-10 lead.

SECOND QUARTER

Tech tied it up to start the second frame, but then UVA’s Kymora Johnson went to work: she hit a three pointer, a pull up, and then another three pointer in transition to put UVA up 20-14. The game was this close to getting away from the Hokies.

A determined Wenzel brought them back. She drove the lane and scored on spinning post move, drawing the foul to draw Tech back to 20-17. After a block by Aniya Trent, Nelson drove baseline and passed to Wenzel for another three, knotting the teams up once more. The Hokies’ defense flipped the Cavaliers on their heads. This time it was Kayl Peterson’s time to shine: Nelson drove baseline, drew the defense, and passed to Peterson for a layup. On the very next defensive possession, Peterson tipped away a post-entry pass and grabbed the errant ball before going out of bounds and got it to Suffren, who scored a transition layup to put Tech up 25-21. Nelson followed that up with a three pointer. True to the heavy-weight match this had become, UVA came back to make it a 30-28 half-time score in Tech’s favor.

THIRD QUARTER

At this point, neither Carys Baker nor Kilah Freelon had scored. Freelon had spent part of the first half on the bench in foul trouble, and Baker had not made a bucket.  That changed.  Wenzel drove the lane and hit a Freelon for a layup. After layups and free throws by Wenzel and Nelson, Baker became the beneficiary of another drive and dish by Wenzel. The ice was broken as on the very next possession, Baker nailed a three pointer. She hit another one later in the quarter off an assist by Suffren. Game on.

UVA responded with their own plays to keep the game close. However, the fouls on the Cavaliers started piling up. Wenzel and Nelson personally made 9 free throws combined between them to keep Tech up 55-50 at the end of the quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER

It was anyone’s game to start the final frame, and any fans watching it were likely both thrilled and having heart palpitations. The teams trade baskets. Every time Tech made a layup, UVA scored.  The margin remained 5 points through the first seven minutes of the quarter.  With 3:49 left in the game, Tech’s grit and poise took over.

Wenzel made a layup to put Tech up seven.  Aniya Trent blocked a layup attempt, and, on the ensuring Hokie possession, Wenzel was fouled and made one of her free throws to put Tech up eighth - the first real breathing room for the Hokies.  After another Trent block, Suffren drove the lane for a layup, and the Tech lead was not nine with 2:14 left.

Two UVA free throws with 1:37 cut into the margin, but then came the magic moment. Nelson drove across the top of the key and found a wide open Baker at the three point line, with the defenders screened off by Suffren. A swish, and the Hokies were up 10 with 1:13 left. Game over.  Free throws made the final margin 76-64 as the Hokies held serve at home in the first game of the Commonwealth Clash between the two in-state rivals.

SIX THOUGHTS AFTER THE GAME

GUARD POWER ACTIVATE

The forwards on the team had important contributions, whether it be defense, crucial rebounds, blocked shots, scoring, or other plays that came in key moments.  However, this game became about guard power.

Carleigh Wenzel out-dueled her UVA counterpart Kymore Johnson and played with determination. Wenzel scored 23 points on 5-of-18 shooting from the field. She was only 1-for-4 from three, but continually attacked the lane. Even when she had her shot blocked, Wenzel showed poise, kept attacking, and drew foul after foul. She ended up shooting a program record 20 free throws, of which she only made 12.  

In the post-game press conference, Wenzel bemoaned her misses, saying, ““I love that I was able to keep my poise and take the hits, but I am not happy with my percentage. That is all mental. That is not something that you can't really just lean on and focus on too much. I will make them the next game. I will make them in practice. I am grateful but I wish it went a little bit different.”

She dished out five assists, including drives that led to passes that unlocked Kilah Freelon and Carys Baker in the second half. Wenzel added 6 rebounds and 1 block, and only committed 2 turnovers and 2 fouls against a UVA team and Johnson who pressure opposing teams.

Mackenzie Nelson scored 15 points on 3-of-7 shooting and 1-of-3 from beyond the arc. She got to the free throw line 12 times where she made 8. In true Nelson form, she found ways to get into the lane, often drawing fouls on UVA’s bigs.

Nelson matched Wenzel with 5 assists and added 2 rebounds, 1 steal, and drew two more of her patented charges. She also only committed two turnovers (early in the game) and only made 1 foul.

Samyha Suffren has been playing the best basketball of her career during Virginia Tech’s current seven game win streak. She provided a huge spark off the bench, scoring 12 points on 5-of-12 shooting and making 2-of-2 free throws.

Suffren continues to develop an array of scoring skills: not only has she mastered the art of slicing through gaps to the basket, Suffren has shown consistency in her mid-range pull up jumpshot.  She added 5 rebounds, often batting against UVA’s bigs for critical defensive rebounds, and 1 assist.

Leila Wells has started every game during the winning streak and brings her Swiss Army Knife to every game. Today, she scored 7 points on 3-of-5 shooting and 1-of-2 free throws. Wells also had one offensive rebound, the critical one when she grabbed her own miss in a crowd and passed out to Nelson streaking down the lane for a wild layup despite being hipchecked. Wells also only finished with 1 turnover and zero fouls.

The Tech four-headed monster at guard drove this game, scoring 75% (57-of-76) of Tech’s points. They also had the responsibility of guarding UVA’s Kymore Johnson, Gabby White,   Paris Clark, and Jillian Brown. In the guard-to-guard matchups, Tech’s complement proved superior: they finished with 5 turnovers to 9 for the UVA guards and only 8 fouls to 14 from UVA’s guards.

CARYS BAKER AND KILAH FREELON COME ALIVE IN THE SECOND HALF

Most tend to focus on points as a barometer of a player's contribution and success. However, no games are won without defense, rebounding, and other plays that don't show up in the statistics.  Carys Baker, Kilah Freelon, Kayl Peterson, and Aniya Trent may not have had gaudy scoring numbers, but, neverthless were key to win over Virginia. 

Carys Baker was held scoreless in the first half, going 0-for-7 from the field with 2missed three point shots.  That is not to say that she did not contribute: she had 2 defensive rebounds, 1 offensive rebound, and a blocked shot in the first half, and played gritty defense.

There is an adage in basketball that if your outside shot is not falling, start closer with a layup. When Wenzel drove and dished to Baker on the opposite block for an easy layup in the third quarter, the lid lifted for Carys. She hit two threes in the frame before having to sit after picking up her third foul. Baker picked up her fourth foul with 4:33 left in the game with Tech nursing a seven-point lead. She came back into the game with 2:41 left and nailed the dagger three in the final minute that sealed the game.

When asked what Mackenzie Nelson tells Baker when her shots are not falling, Nelson said,  “I have known Carys for a while.I can see when she gets in her head. A couple of missed shots today led her to that.  We said at half-time. Shoot the ball, we are going to get you the ball. Knock it down. They must have messed up defense because they got a wide open three.  That is all it took and she knocked down a couple after that.  Carleigh and her have such a big role, so all of us instilling confidence in them no matter ups, downs, whatever it is. Letting them know we have their back is a big part of this game.”

Overall, Baker scored 11 points on 4-of-11 shooting, including 3-from-5 from three (and 4-for-4 in the second half). She also grabbed 6 rebounds and had 2 blocks.

Kilah Freelon was also scoreless in the first half but set the tone early with 2 offensive rebounds and 3 defensive rebounds in the first quarter as she battled UVA’s bigs. Unfortunately, she picked up her second foul early in the second quarter and had to sit the final 9 minutes of the first half.

Tech came out in the second half and ran play for Keelon that led to a layup. She picked up her third foul and again had to sit.  After making a layup and two free throws, Freelon once again exited due to a foul until she helped close out the game.

Freelon ended up with 6 points on 2-of-4 shooting and 2-of-2 free threes.  In her limited minutes, she still grabbed 7 rebounds, including 2 offensive boards.

To their credit, both Baker and Freelon fought through shooting issues and foul trouble to grind and find ways to contribute. When it mattered the most in the final quarter, both made plays to help Tech defeat UVA.

POST-DEPTH TO THE RESCUE

Given UVA’s bevy of bigs that they were going to throw at the Hokies (see the Preview of the UVA-VT game), it was a given that Tech’s backup forwards were going to see time in the game. However, with both Freelon and Baker being in and out of the lineup due to foul trouble, the bench became even more important. Aniya Trent and Kayl Petersen delivered!

Kayl Petersen played 12 minutes and scored 2 points on that layup off a Nelson assist. She also added 2 rebounds, including an offensive rebound in the fourth quarter that kept a Tech possession alive.

Aniya Trent played 14 minutes. While she did not score, Trent grabbed 4 rebounds, had three crucial blocks, and made 1 steal.  Her defense against UVa’s older posts and forwards was a key to the game.

Coach Duffy praised Carys Baker and Kilah Freelon for mentoring Petersen and Trent in this tight rivalry game, saying, “They are the leaders of that forward-post group. I think the coolest part is how engaged they were with Kayl Peterson and ANiya Trent today just to make sure when they went out they were talking to them, pumping them up. I think similar to UVA, the depth in the post can help you in a game. I think our bench stepped up really well today.”

GRITTY DEFENSE

The Hokies win games when they play defense with intensity, when they are helping, rotating, and getting stops. Coming into this game, UVA was going to present problems due to both their interior depth and the play-making skills of Kymore Johnson.

Indeed, the Hokies came out with defensive intensity and closed the game out with key stops. They held the Cavaliers to 14 points below their season average and led the game for 29:46 of the game’s 40 minutes. They also held UVA to 27.8% shooting in the first quarter, 31.3% in the second, and 28.6% shooting when it mattered in the final quarter. Knowing that Johnson is deadly from three and, in fact, shot a lot of threes in her last two games, the Hokies keyed on not letting her go off. Johnson was only 3-of-10 from three, with only one other UVA player making a shot from beyond the arc (the team was 4-of-17 for 24% from deep).

AND... Mackenzie Nelson, the Queen of Charges, drew two more!

Coach Duffy commented on the team’s defensive scouting and effort, “We were concerned about a lot of things going into the game. I think we just tried to say you have to pick a couple of things you can be great at. You can’t stop everything. They have a great inside presence. Obviously, with Mo [Kymora Johnson], she is phenomenal.,,the way she can take over a game at times. I thought we did a good enough job protecting the interior. They are very good at getting paint points in a couple of different ways. That was the grit I am talking about when we sustained some of those punches and some of those downhill attacks. You also have to be on high alert with Johnson and they way she can get hot. That was a collective guard group chasing her off screens. That was the grit of when Kayl and Aniua came in. They had some big moments for us when Kilah and Carys were sitting on the bench with four fouls. A blocked shot here or chase down a rebound.. Those little things add up either on your side or against you, and fortunately, down the stretch especially in the fourth quarter, they were in our favor.”

FOURTH QUARTER POISE 

Ever since the loss to Miami on January 1 in which Tech lost despite holding a late lead, the Hokies have owned the fourth quarter. Even against Louisville, Tech outscored the Cardinals 18-15 in the fourth. However, Tech has shown exceptional poise and basketball IQ late to close out games over the current seven-game winning streak. This was especially true in the come-from-behind win against Clemson as well as their ability to hold off a Pitt team that had closed to within five points late.

The Hokies displayed the same poise, grit, decision-making, defense, and play-making that put what was a five point game out of reach for the visiting Cavaliers.

When asked about the team’s aggressive poise when things got tight in the fourth quarter, Coach Duffy talked about the team’s growth in closing out games, ““We have been learning that throughout the year. We have had a lot of different moments, whether that was in non-conference or we have been in some games where we were down and came back and won like Clemson. We have had a couple where…like the Miami game, where we were up and kind of lost the lead. The more experiences that these women can be put in, the more they are going to get confidence. We try to prepare as hard as we can for every situation. I am sure they are annoyed by that sometimes, but, at the end of the day, when they go to the showtime, you want them to be able to be confident in their abilities, whether that is making free throws, whether its rallying around each other to get defensive stop, or execute a play. I think people forget sometimes that they are still young in this journey of being a starter, a go to player. You have got to go through some bumps with that to find the fruition a little later. I am proud of how they stayed in attack mode. They took really good, quality shots and then when I was yelling at them to chill out and slow down a little bit, they listened - which was good. Just to get that clock moving a little bit faster.”

BENCH ENERGY - PROGRAM ENERGY

Bench Energy:  It is about time that the players not in the game (and the staff) get recognition.  Coach Duffy emphasizes that no matter how much on-court time players may get in a game, they should understand that they have to give their all. It is a testament to the program that the Virginia Tech bench is engaged and supportive.  Duffy mentioned the mentoring Baker and Freelon provided to Trent and Petersen, showing they are engaged despite having to sit.

The energy, though, of the players supporting their teammates on the court is fun and nice to see.  From hands going up with three fingers displayed when a three-point is taken to the wide excitement of a dagger striking home to the wild celebrations when players make a nice move, draw a charge, block a shot,  or get fouled, the bench gives the on-court players juice and confidence. 

Cassell:  Virginia Tech fans have a reputation of ferverently supporting the women's basketball program.  As the program grew in stature, reaching the Final Four in 2023, the fans based grew and backed the team with such energy that Blacksburg hosted ESPN College GameDay for the first time on February 25, 2024. If there was a question of whether the fans would continue to embrace the program during the transition to the Duffy era, Cassell Guard and the fans have answered the bell. The fan attendance for the home game against UVA was 5,281, which falls near the 5439 that the program averaged during the 2023-24 season.

Post-Game Energy:  The on-court celebrations and thank you to the fans by the team are part of the overall culture that Coach Duffy and her staff are building. From ice cream after away wins to recogntion of players to the water fights, there is a chemistry and togetherness vital to building a winning culture.

TIDBITS

• Virginia Tech placed four players in double digit scoring: Wenzel, Nelson, Suffren, and Baker.
• Tech finished with 11 assists on 23 made baskets whereas UVA, who leads the ACC is average assists, only had 5 assists on 22 made baskets. There was a lot of 1-on-1 by both teams.
• The Hokies were 25-of-38 from the free throw line. The margin could actually have been wider had they made more free throws.
• Tech only had 8 turnovers for the game, with 5 of those coming in the first half. When it mattered late in the game, the Hokies took care of the ball.
• UVA came in with the reputation of blocking shots. They only had 5, more than 2 below their average. In addition, the Hokies showed they could return the favor with 6 blocks.
• Despite their seize advantage, UVA only had 14 offensive rebounds to Tech’s 13. UVA only had one more total rebound than Tech (41-to-40).
• The Hokies outscored the Cavaliers in the paint, 34-30.

WHAT’S NEXT

Tech showed the grit that Duffy loves to see from her players.  She said, “The most important thing is how to get a win no matter whether you miss a couple of free throws or you miss a shot. That is the grit as you got to figure out in spite of if you are 0-for-4 from the field or you miss a free throw, you just got to find a way to get a stop or to get a quick bucket. That is what it felt like.”

The Hokies have won seven straight games in a way that shows that grit, as well as a clear maturity and growth. What is the vibe of the team? According to Mackenzie Nelson, the team remains focused about the next game and working to get better, “I think we play with a chip on our shoulder. Seven straight, but it is just one at a time. You don’t think about the next game. You don’t think about the last game.  You just think consistency. You win. Loss. Get in the gym. Get shots up. Go to work. You just think about the next opponent.’

Notre Dame is the next opponent.  Notre Dame defeated Stanford 78-66 on Sunday to break a 2-game losing streak and go 6-5 in the ACC. After facing UVA's Kymora Johnson today, the Hokies will travel to South Bend this Thursday, February 5, to take on Hannah Hidalgo, the leading candidate for the ACC Player of the Year, who scored 37 points in the game - nearly half of Notre Dame's points.  Only one other player for Notre Dame scored in double digits and, interestlingly, Notre Dame was 0-for-10 from three.  Nevertheless, this was be a tough road game. That being said, the Hokies have shown themselves to be road warriors this season.

Youtube Video of Condensed Game