When it came to seeding in the NCAA Tournament, it's safe to say that the Virginia Tech women's basketball team got a very difficult draw in the 8-9 game. The ninth-seed in the Fort Worth - 3 Regional, the Hokies will face eighth-seeded Oregon on Friday afternoon in Austin, Texas, home of the top-seeded Texas Longhorns.
It is going to be a difficult task for Megan Duffy and her team against a Ducks team that is a favorite when it comes to the Vegas oddsmakers. Regardless, being in the tournament is a goal the Hokies strived for after being the first team out in 2025. As well as they played down the stretch of the season, they still had their rough patches. With that said, here are three things that could derail Virginia Tech early in the NCAA Tournament.
Virginia Tech can't afford slow starts
Slow starts have been a thorn in the Hokies' side at times this year, and there is no more evidence of that than in the second round of the ACC Tournament against Georgia Tech. They fell behind 17-3 before they rebounded against the Yellow Jackets. If they fall behind 17-3 against Oregon or Texas, it's going to be very, very difficult to come back.
Virginia Tech needs to shoot the ball well from behind the arc
The 3-point shot has been huge for the Hokies this season. They have several shooters who are efficient from behind the arc, headlined by Carys Baker and Carleigh Wenzel. However, you can live by the three and die by the three. That was the case in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals against North Carolina, where they went 2-for-18 from behind the arc. Not shooting the ball well from the field anywhere will do in the Hokies, but they can't afford to struggle again from 3-point land.
Virginia Tech must get bench production
This is true for any team, but the bench has been very good for the Hokies this year, and they are going to need it to be again in the NCAA Tournament. As good as their starting five is, if they don't get any production from the bench, that could do them in against either Oregon or Texas. Samyha Suffren has been tremendous off the bench this season, and they will need her again. If not, it could be a long afternoon against the Ducks.