Virginia Tech (15-8) put together an offensive performance that is enough for a win 99% of the time.
The Hokies shot 51% from the floor, 40% from three and 83% from the charity stripe. They recorded a season-high 24 assists on their 36 made field goals. They knocked down 12 of their 15 shots in the third quarter and had 20+ point performances from Carys Baker, Carleigh Wenzel and Lani White. The Hokies hadn’t lost a game in which three of their players scored at least 20 points in almost 40 years.
For everything that went right on the offensive end, even more went wrong on the defensive end as Syracuse (9-13) led for almost 36 minutes on their way to a 93-87 victory in Cassell Coliseum.
“Syracuse had nothing to lose and they shot it better than they have all season,” Virginia Tech head coach Megan Duffy said. “(It was a) Combination of our defense and they were tremendous. It was almost like they were shooting into an ocean.”
The Orange rank last in the ACC in three pointers made per game (5.1) and in the bottom five in three point percentage (31.2%). That didn’t stop them from torching the Hokies from long range to the tune of 12 triples on 21 attempts.
Senior Guard Sophie Burrow ushered this three point barrage draining eight triples in 12 tries, and setting the Cassell opponent record for most threes in a single game. Burrow finished with a career-high 28 points.
“They shot the three ball better than we’ve seen in a minute,” Duffy said. “Kudos to Sophie to hit 8.”
Many of Burrow’s triples were assisted by senior point guard Dominique Camp, who was able to push the ball up the floor to get quick baskets on the secondary fastbreak. Camp recorded 12 points and 10 assists, joining Hokies point guard Carleigh Wenzel with a double-double.
While Syracuse deserves praise for their hot shooting, Virginia Tech doesn't get off the hook for what was objectively one of their worst defensive displays of the season.
“They were taking what we were giving them,” Wenzel said. “We made it tougher on ourselves than they did on us.”
Early in the first quarter, the defensive struggles actually came on the interior. The Hokies were playing without starting center Rose Micheaux, who is “day to day with an injury” according to Duffy. In her stead, true freshman Kayl Petersen made the start at the five, and the Orange made a point to go after her in the post. Kyra Wood had eight of her eighteen points in the first quarter, feasting on the undersized Petersen.
The Hokies adjusted by bringing in inexperienced center Ramiya White who gave Virginia Tech some solid minutes, but that’s when Syracuse opened up the floodgates from long range.
Virginia Tech made runs to get back into the game, but each time Syracuse answered with a dagger of their own. The Hokies actually tied the game with 6:53 to go, but consecutive buckets from Wood and Burrows put an end to the momentum.
“I think we relaxed a little bit when we tied the game,” Baker said. “We let #4 make another three in transition.”
While Duffy was proud of the way her team fought to come back from a double-digit deficit, the Hokies have lot’s to work on defensively if they have any chance of holding onto their projected spot in the NCAA Tournament, with ESPN’s Charlie Crème having them as the last team in following the loss.
Virginia Tech looks to bounce back from this upset loss at noon on Sunday, February 9th as they head to John Paul Jones Arena for the second annual installment of the Commonwealth Clash against Virginia.
