Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech (15-5, 5-3) remained determined through the fourth quarter, mounting an electric comeback for a 71-68 victory over Clemson (13-7, 4-4 ACC) inside Cassell Coliseum Thursday evening.
The Hokies, who were down by as many as 13 points in the contest, finished the game on an 11-0 run for their largest comeback victory since their narrow 63-62 win over No. 3 NC State on Jan. 7, 2024.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Carleigh Wenzel (7:40) and Carys Baker (6:28) set the tone for Virginia Tech, scoring consecutive triples to open the Hokies’ account. After Clemson scored six unanswered, Kilah Freelon chipped in three points as she completed a three-point play and Samyha Suffren hit a jumper followed by a shot from the line at 4:10 to put Tech back in front. The Tigers kept trying to push in front, but another Wenzel three-pointer and a turnaround shot from Baker gave the Hokies a 17-13 advantage after the first period.
Another combined six-point run from Baker, as she converted an and-one play, and Wenzel, who knocked down her third shot from beyond the arc, kept Tech in front until Clemson exploded for 13 points to shift the momentum in its favor. Tech, which was held off the board for nearly four minutes, saw its scoring drought end as Wenzel’s (3:44) elbow jumper fell through the hoop. The Tigers pulled ahead by seven points, but Mel Daley helped close the gap with a steal for a layup and a free throw as the Hokies headed into the locker room down 39-33.
The Baker and Wenzel tandem scored Virginia Tech’s first points coming out of the intermission with layups, and Freelon helped keep it within reach, 43-39, as she sank two shots from the charity stripe at the 7:35 mark. Wenzel and Clemson were trading scores until an 8-0 run from the Tigers widened the scoring margin. Tech scored five of the final seven points in the third frame, facing a 59-49 deficit heading into the fourth period.
Virginia Tech stood up to the task for the final 10 minutes as it outscored Clemson 22-9. The Hokies continued to push offensively, but the Tigers found a way to keep Tech at bay until the final two minutes. The Cassell Coliseum crowd ignited as Suffren hit a three-pointer with 1:27 remaining in the contest to pull the Hokies within one, 68-67. In an action-packed final 26 seconds, Freelon grabbed the offensive carom, the Hokies’ timeout drew up a play for Baker to get a shot off in the paint for the lead, and then Wenzel knocked down a pair of free throws to seal Tech’s 71-68 victory.
GAME NOTES
- Virginia Tech has now won seven straight on their home court against Clemson
- The Hokies out-scored Clemson 28-8 in points off turnovers
- Tech forced 20 turnovers for the 11th time this season
- Virginia Tech has made a three-pointer as their first basket in three straight games
- Clemson, who averages an ACC-leading 8.7 three-pointers per game, were held to four in the contest and they all occurred in the first half
- The Hokies matched their season-high with 23 made free throws
- Tech won their first game this season when trailing at the half (1-3) and with five minutes remaining in the contest (1-3)
- Both Carys Baker and Carleigh Wenzel each finished the game with 24 points, just the second time this season when two players had 20-point efforts in the same contest
- Baker’s 24 points matches her career scoring high while knocking down a career-best 8-9 (0.889) from the charity stripe
- Wenzel set a new season-high in scoring and field goals made (8)
- It was Baker’s sixth 20-point effort of the season while Wenzel recorded her third
- Guard Samyha Suffren rounded out the double figure scorers with 12 points and grabbed six rebounds
- Suffren has finished in double figures in four of her last five outings
- Forward Kilah Freelon pulled down a game-best nine rebounds, her ACC-best
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech makes the trip down to Wake Forest on Sunday, Jan. 25, with a 2 p.m. tipoff on ACCNX.