After a one-year absence, the Virginia Tech women's basketball team is back in the NCAA Tournament. Last season, in the first year under Megan Duffy after former coach Kenny Brooks bolted for Kentucky, the Hokies were the first team left out of the 68-team field after a rough final month. This year, the Hokies left no doubt.
A strong finish to the season secured Virginia Tech a spot in the field, but it's going to be a difficult one. They were so good down the stretch that they went from a team that was close to playing in the First Four this week to a No. 9 seed in the Fort Worth Regional 3. They get No. 8 seed Oregon on Friday at 1:30 p.m. EST in Austin, Texas.
To say that this is a tough assignment for the first weekend of the tournament is an understatement. Vegas agrees, and unsurprisingly, the Hokies' odds of reaching the Final Four next month are an extreme long shot at best.
Virginia Tech's Final Four odds don't paint a pretty picture
The winner between the Hokies and Ducks will likely get top-seeded Texas in the second round, and that's a daunting task. According to DraftKings, Virginia Tech has the 35th-best odds to reach the Final Four. Texas has the third-best odds to reach Phoenix next month.
Again, it isn't surprising that Duffy's team faces very long odds. As nice as it is to make the tournament, falling into the 8-9 game in women's basketball is a nightmare for teams hoping to make it to at least the second weekend. If you're in the 8-9 game, you're facing the regionals' top-seed in the second round on their court.
Regardless, Virginia Tech is in the field, and it's a big step for Duffy as she looks to put her fingerprints on the program in her second season in Blacksburg.