If there is one thing to take away from the first 13 games of the 2024-25 season for the Virginia Tech women's basketball team, it's that the game isn't over until it's over. For the second time this season, the Hokies were trailing on the road to a power conference school only to rally and steal a victory, this time picking up their first ACC win of the season.
After rallying to beat Georgia on the road last month in the ACC/SEC Challenge with a fourth-quarter rally, the Hokies did it again on Sunday, this time coming back from a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit to stun Miami, 68-64. They closed the game on an 11-1 run. Here are two truths and a lie from a wild game that saw a ton of momentum shifts all afternoon long.
Truth: Carys Baker & Carleigh Wenzel becoming tough one-two scoring combo to defend
The fourth quarter rally would not have been possible without the efforts of Carys Baker and Carleigh Wenzel. When it came down to the final minute, both player stepped up and rallied the Hokies over the Hurricanes.
Virginia Tech was down 63-61 when Baker hit a 3-pointer with a minute left for a 64-63 lead. After Miami tied it up with a free throw, Wenzel drove to the basket with the shot clock winding down and drew a foul. She made both free throws and after a defensive stop, Wenzel sealed the game with two more free throws. Baker finished with 23 points on 7-for-12 shooting from behind the arc and Wenzel had 17 points including making all six of her free throws.
Truth: Megan Duffy's timely timeouts in the fourth quarter paid dividends
So many times game management comes into play on the court and Duffy put on a clinic in the fourth quarter. After Jasmyne Roberts knocked down a 3-pointer with 7:32 left in the game, it gave the Hurricanes a 59-47 lead. Duffy immediately called a timeout and out of that timeout, Matilda Ekh drilled a 3-pointer to begin the comeback.
Then with the game tied at 64 and the shot clocking counting down to seven seconds, Duffy called her final timeout with nothing going offensively. Out of the timeout, she put the ball in Wenzel's hands and she was fouled going to the basket and knocked down the two game-winning free throws. Coaching matters.
Lie: This is just another win
Yes, this is a win, but it wasn't just another win, it could end up being a win we look back on in a couple of months and say "that was a huge comeback win at Miami.'' It may sound strange, but getting their first ACC win with a trip to Georgia Tech coming up Thursday night is huge coming off a pair of blowout losses to Duke and Florida State. The ACC is loaded this season from top to bottom and any win on the road is a big win. It's a win that could jump-start a very good stretch for Duffy and her team.