Women's Basketball Opening Week Preview
After an outstanding Final Four run in last year’s March Madness tournament, Virginia Tech WBB is back this week! The team opens the season at home with High Point today at 5 p.m., followed by No. 3 Iowa on Thursday in Charlotte, NC.
2022-23 Season Recap
Virginia Tech was an absolute powerhouse last year, going 27-4 during the regular season. The team never fell below No. 14 in the AP Top 25 and closed out the season at No. 4. The Hokies claimed their first ACC Title with a 75-67 win over Louisville, led by 2nd Team AP All-American and 2x ACC Player of the Year Elizabeth Kitley. The squad continued into March Madness as the No. 1 seed in their division, hosting the first two rounds in Blacksburg. The team advanced past No. 4 Tennessee and No. 3 Ohio State into the Final Four, where they lost to No. 3 LSU, who would go on to become National Champions.
2023-24 Season Outlook
Virginia Tech enters this season at No. 8 in the AP Top 25, retaining three of last year’s starting five in Kitley, Georgia Amoore, and Cayla King. While the team did lose Taylor Soule and Kayana Traylor to the WNBA Draft, they’re still considered the ACC favorites.
Season Opener: No. 8 VT vs. High Point | Monday, November 6, 5:00 p.m. | Cassell Coliseum, Blacksburg, VA
The Panthers lost two of their offensive stars, Skyler Curran and Jordan Edwards. The duo accounted for about a third of the team’s offensive production in the major stats (33% of ppg, 32% of rpg, 30% of apg). In comparison, Kitley is the Hokies leading scorer, rebounder, and blocker. Amoore also led the team in assists, so VT’s top two producers are still on the court, with another year of experience.
Last year VT defeated High Point 86-66 in December. This game should go very similarly. High Point might be the preseason favorite in the Big South, but they only have two ranked teams on their schedule this year, the other one being Texas. It’s the first game, teams are still working out the kinks and anything can happen, but this shouldn’t be a close game.
No. 8 VT vs. No. 3 Iowa | Thursday, November 9, 8:00 p.m. | Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC
Iowa is easily Tech’s 2nd hardest opponent on the schedule (behind No. 1 LSU). The Hawkeyes still have Sr. G Caitlin Clark on their roster, who was a nightmare for opponents in March Madness. Depending on who you ask, Clark is the best collegiate women’s basketball player in the world right now. If you ask the voters for the 2023 Naismith Player of the Year Award, they’d agree too. Even as a Freshman, Clark was insane. She has a career 27.1 ppg in college and led Iowa in points, rebounds, and assists. The Hawkeyes lost to LSU in the title game last year by 17, expect Clark to come back this season with fire in her eyes.
VT has only played Iowa once, a 13-point win in 2004. Tech certainly has a lineup that can take on Iowa, but this projects to be a very tough game to win. You’re not going to shut down Clark, but limiting her is possible. Maryland “held” her to 18-5-4 and came up with a win early last year. Iowa lost their second option Monika Czinano and third option McKenna Warnock; Clark will have to carry the team early in the season. Contain the reigning Player of the Year, and this game is winnable.
