Losing their last two games to North Carolina State and Notre Dame, the Virginia Tech women's basketball team was looking to rebound in the middle of a three-game homestand against SMU. Record aside, this was not going to be an easy 40 minutes for Megan Duffy's team as the Mustangs have played teams tough this season at times.
That was the case on Sunday afternoon at Cassell Coliseum as they made it a tough 40 minutes for the Hokies. After losing 75% of their scoring from last season and missing three players who are out for the season with injuries, SMU battled until the clock read triple zeros and Virginia Tech was able to improve to 15-7 overall and 6-5 in the ACC with an eight-point win at home.
It was the four returners to the program for Duffy in her first season in Blacksburg that led the way again for the win. Matilda Ekh scored a game-high 23 points and grabbed five rebounds. She knocked down five 3-pointers and even got a key basket in the second half off an offensive rebound. Carleigh Wenzel had 21 points, with 12 of those points coming from the foul line and as a team, the Hokies were 22-for-29 from the charity stripe.
LIGHTS OUT 🎯@HokiesWBB | @hokiesports | #ThisIsHome pic.twitter.com/uCxOUV2Edq
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) February 2, 2025
Carys Baker continues to impress with each game as she had 14 points and nine rebounds, making her a tough matchup with her ability to score around the basket as well as being able to step out and shoot the ball from behind the arc. Rose Micheaux had 13 points and eight rebounds.
SMU, which fell to 2-9 in conference play, got 22 points from Nya Robertson and she was able to keep the Mustangs in the game by knocking down four 3-pointers. She was impressive all day long at both ends of the floor.
The Hokies will close out the three straight home games when they host Syracuse on Thursday night before heading to Charlottesville next Sunday for a rematch with the Cavaliers, who won the first game this season at Cassell, 73-65, last month.