Hokies WBB ACC Tournament Recap

 

With a First Round bye and a Second Round win against Georgia Tech, the Virginia Tech Hokies fell to the North Carolina Tarheels in the Quarterfinals.

Slow Start Against Georgia Tech

Getting extra rest and a bye can be a both a blessing and a curse. You get time off to take extra time to prepare, but the momentum built towards the end of the regular season may be lost. A similar case was seen in Virginia Tech's matchup with Georgia Tech in the Second Round of the ACC Tournament. On March 5, 2026, the No. 6 Virginia Tech Hokies took on the No. 11 Georgia Tech Yellowjackets in what was a very slow start for the Hokies. Putting up a season low 7 points in the first quarter, Coach Duffy's Virginia Tech team looked like a disaster. Finally taking the lead 20-19 over halfway through the second quarter, the Hokies picked up their feet ever so slightly. Although they shot a field goal percentage of 36% as a team, Georgia Tech's was barely better at 37% and shooting much worse from three. Carleigh Wenzel led the Hokies with 15 points accompanied by 14 points from Mackenzie Nelson, followed by a full team effort with four others with 8+ points each. One thing Coach Duffy's squad had going for them was forcing turnovers and scoring off of them. Georgia Tech recorded 17 team turnovers, eight of them being steals by the Hokies. Forcing so many turnovers allowed Virginia Tech to slowly creep back into the game as they scored 24 points off of Georgia tech's turnovers. Although this was not the prettiest game as it was certainly nerve-wracking for Coach Duffy and Hokie Nation, Virginia Tech was able to pull off a 62-54 victory, sending the Yellowjackets home and the Hokies to the Quarterfinals.

A Learning Experience in the Quarterfinals

The Hokies Struggled but Stayed Determined

Just a day after taking a close win to Georgia Tech, the Hokies had to take on the No. 22 team in the country and No. 3 seed in the ACC Tournament, North Carolina. A few weeks prior to this matchup, on February 19, 2026, Virginia Tech hosted North Carolina in an overtime thriller. Although the Hokies did not come out on top, they pushed the Tarheels to their limits and had everyone questioning what damage Virginia Tech could do in the ACC Tournament and even the following month in March Madness. Even without a standout performance from a player like Carleigh Wenzel or Carys Baker in their first matchup with UNC, a full team effort of scoring and prestigious defense was enough to give the Tarheels a run for their money. Some may even argue that the ref's incorrect foul discretion factored into UNC's victory far too much (I am one to agree). Coming into this ACC Tournament matchup, Virginia Tech was hoping to bring the same energy, and to start, they absolutely did. Up 5 points at the end of the first quarter, the Hokies were looking promising as they pushed UNC on both ends of the court, maximizing opportunities off of rebounds and North Carolina's turnovers. That said, North Carolina would go on to outscore Virginia Tech by 18 points in the second quarter, putting the Tarheels up 13 points at the end of the first half. Despite being down, the Hokies kept up the pressure and kept the Tarheels from outscoring them in the third with both teams scoring 24 points. 

Carleigh Wenzel

Keeping Virginia Tech within an attainable range, Carleigh Wenzel scored 10 of her 26 total points alone in the third quarter. All season long; Wenzel has been one that the Hokies have relied on to get them started. When Wenzel's shots are on the mark, it's almost impossible to stop her. Although she put up a monstrous 26 points just 3 short of her career-high (29), Wenzel did all she could to help her team. Leading the team in scoring with 15.1 points per game, Wenzel is the Hokies number one option, though this is still a somewhat new role for her. Stepping up as Virginia Tech's court general and go-to alongside Rose Micheaux and Carys Baker in the 2024-2025 season, Wenzel found herself in a new spot under Coach Duffy. Prior to Coach Duffy's time at Virginia Tech, Carleigh was the backup point guard for Virginia Tech and Kentucky legend, Georgia Amoore. Although this season was still a little something new for Wenzel, she embraced it and willingly took on the challenges. As Wenzel plays her final collegiate season for Virginia Tech next season, the Hokies look to make another NCAA Tournament appearance (as they're projected to this postseason). Can Coach Duffy get the supporting cast she needs to surround Wenzel and Baker to make the most of their senior seasons?

The Remainder of Virginia Tech's Postseason

Despite taking the loss to UNC in the ACC Tournament Quarterfinals, Virginia Tech is still at great odds to make the NCAA Tournament. Projected by Charlie Creme and many others to be seeded around 8-10, the Hokies will have a chance to make one final run with seniors Kilah Freelon and Mel Daley. Although 8 vs. 9 and 7 vs. 10 seed games are often where upsets are seen in the Women's NCAA Tournament, the few weeks off will allow Virginia Tech to recoup should they dance in March Madness.