The Virginia Tech women’s basketball team was eliminated from the NCAA Tournament after a 70-60 loss to eighth-seeded Oregon on March 20. The game took place in Austin, Texas, and marked the end of the Hokies’ season. Oregon will move on to face either Texas or Missouri State in the next round.
The outcome is significant as it concludes Virginia Tech’s postseason run and highlights the team’s performance against a higher-seeded opponent. The Hokies briefly led early in the first quarter but were overtaken by a 12-0 run from Oregon, who maintained control for the remainder of the game.
During the second quarter, bench players contributed key points for Virginia Tech, with Mel Daley scoring three field goals and Samyha Suffren adding a free throw. A jumper by Daley helped reduce Oregon’s lead to just two points before halftime, but Oregon responded with a three-pointer from Mia Jacobs to take a 35-29 advantage into the break.
In the third quarter, Carys Baker scored early for Virginia Tech, but Oregon answered with an 18-0 run that extended their lead significantly. Despite efforts from Daley and Sophie Swanson to regain momentum, Virginia Tech trailed by 15 points at the end of the third period. Baker continued her strong play in the fourth quarter, finishing with 21 points and a career-high 14 rebounds for her second double-double of the season.
Game notes indicate that this was only the second time this season that Virginia Tech lost when Baker scored at least 20 points. The team also finished winless in games where only one player reached double figures in scoring. However, they did hold advantages over Oregon in fastbreak points (13-2), second chance points (14-11), and points off turnovers (15-11).
As Virginia Tech looks ahead to next season, players like Baker have demonstrated potential for future success despite this year’s early tournament exit.
