Saturday afternoon at Cassell Coliseum, the Virginia Tech women's basketball team got a tougher battle from Elon in their non-conference game than most thought. The Phoenix were pesky and the Hokies let them hang around longer than they should have.
In the end, Megan Duffy's team was able to get some separation in the second half as they once again got big games from Rose Micheaux, who recorded the program's second triple-double, and Carleigh Wenzel in an 87-69 victory to improve to 5-1 in the 2024-25 season. They will now get a break before returning to the court Friday afternoon in the women's version of the Fort Myers Tip-Off. Here are some observations from the Hokies win over the Phoenix in Blacksburg.
Key Observations from Virginia Tech women's basketball win over Elon
- Micheaux has been big for the Hokies this season and her triple-double allowed her to join Georgia Amoore as the only player in program history to do it. Just shy of the midway point of the third quarter, she collected her third straight double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, then in the fourth quarter her 10th assist gave her the triple-double. She finished with 19 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists.
- Wenzel had another strong game. She once again was able to get to the basket and the free throw line and finished with 11 points and was 6-for-8 from the line.
- It was a struggle shooting the ball in the second quarter for Virginia Tech as they went through a stretch where they had seven straight points coming from the free-throw line, four of them from Wenzel. Micheaux ended the field goal drought with a basket off an offensive rebound.
- Matilda Ekh shot the ball well from behind the 3-point line, making some big ones in the third quarter to give the Hokies some separation. She finished with 16 points.
- Mackenzie Nelson had 12 points for Virginia Tech while Carys Baker and Utah transfer Lani White each had seven. The day, however, belonged to Micheaux.
Virginia Tech will return to the court Friday afternoon in the semifinals of the Elevance Health Women's Fort Myers Tip-Off against Davidson at 4:30. They will then play on Saturday in either the consolation game at 5 p.m. or the championship game at 7:30 against either Michigan or Belmont.