Virginia Tech gets their second chance at an early season quality win tonight when the 3-1 Hokies take on the 4-0 Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
Virginia Tech has routed all of their mid-major opponents, only falling to reigning NCAA Championship runner-ups Iowa Hawkeyes 71-52 at the Ally Tipoff. Rutgers games haven’t been as comfortable, topping only one of their opponents by more than 10 points, but they’ve been winning nonetheless.
Rutgers, coming off one of their worst seasons in almost a decade (8-24), have the opportunity to prove how much they’ve truly improved, while the Hokies look to show that their subpar offensive performance against the stifling Iowa defense was a fluke, and that this squad can compete with major schools.
These two teams faced off last December, but both teams are almost unrecognizable to what they look like today. Virginia Tech picked up an 84-59 win on the road, behind a season-high 25 points and seven threes from Matilda Ekh. Ekh was one of only four returning Hokies to see the floor in last year’s contest, and she’s the only player who got more than 15 minutes of action. Kenny Brooks’ squad knocked down 17 long balls in the game; far more than this year's season high of six.
This highlights the vast differences of approach between Brooks and new head coach Megan Duffy, that we can expect to see on Tuesday. Rutgers, while they haven’t been consistent with their starting lineup, only returns either two or three of last year's starters depending on how you evaluate it, but they've got a familiar face leading the way.
Destiny Adams, who only had 2 points in last year’s matchup, has been dominating to the tune of 27 points and 14 rebounds per game. She paces the entire country in scoring, and is third in rebounding. She’ll likely have to play at this All-American level to knock off the Hokies on their own home court.
The Scarlet Knights also made their way to Blacksburg in 2018-19, where a Taylor Emery and Regan Magarity led Hokie team picked up a 67-51 win. The Hokies are 2-1 in the history of Virginia Tech vs Rutgers in Women’s Basketball, as the Scarlet Knights won the lone pre-2018 matchup, winning back in 2000.
Keys of the Game
Pounding the Paint
When competing teams have different styles of play, the winner is often decided by who controls the style, whether that is tempo, shot type, or any other schematic variation of basketball. However, these are two teams that have the same goal on the offensive end; get easy points around the rim.
The Hokies are 12th nationally in two point field goals made per game, partially due to 62% shooting from within the three-point line, which is fifth best in the country. It didn’t take them any time embracing Megan Duffy’s distinct style, scoring 68 points in the paint in their season opener against UNC Wilmington. This almost doubled their season high from the year prior. Rutgers is similarly effective near the hoop, making 27 two-point field goals per game, good for 8th in the country.
These squads are battling strength vs strength, and whichever team is able to reach or exceed their season average inside the arc will likely come away with the win.
Command in Cassell
If the last few years are any indication, there is almost no home court in the country more difficult for visiting teams to win in than Cassell Coliseum. After a 16-1 record on their home floor last year, and a 3-0 start this season, the Hokies have only four losses in Cassell since the 2020-21 season. Rutgers has an uphill battle to give their Hokies loss number five even after the coaching change.
Matchup of the Game: Rose Micheaux vs Destiny Adams
One advantage Rutgers has over Virginia Tech is a potential All-American candidate.
Destiny Adams scores almost a third of the Scarlet Knights total points and grabs almost a third of the squads total rebounds. For the Hokies to hand Rutgers its first loss, they have to hold Adams in check and that starts with their starting center Rose Micheaux.
Micheaux has taken on a much larger role this season, and is doing an excellent job scoring around the basket, averaging 14 points on an outstanding 69% shooting. She also does a good job on the defensive end, grabbing almost seven boards per contest, while providing some length that almost no one else on the Hokies undersized roster has.
Micheaux has picked up at least three fouls in three of the Hokies first four games, and it is absolutely vital she stays out of foul trouble to help neutralize Adams. Micheaux shouldn’t have to do it on her own; The Hokies will likely provide backside help while Micheaux fronts the post, as well as sending double teams when Adams gets the ball.
However, Micheaux is a big part to this Hokies scheme, and they will need her on the court for both their offense and defense to function at their peak forms in this matchup.
Prediction: Virginia Tech 82, Rutgers 69
While Rutgers is no pushover, they still are just an eight win team from a year ago, and the Hokies are nearly unbeatable in Cassell. Carleigh Wenzel will continue to play aggressive, scoring at least 15 points, while dishing five+ assists. She will be aided by Matilda Ekh, who will finally find her jumper, knocking down at least three triples and joining her backcourt mate in double figures. While Destiny Adams will still get her 20+ point, 10+ rebound double-double, the Hokies defense will do it’s best to keep it out of her hands, and her supporting cast won’t be able to overcome Tech’s aggressive pressure defense, leading to another comfortable victory for Virginia Tech.
