Women's Basketball Closes Out Non-Conference Portion with Radford Rout Sunday

The Hokies now have a 10-day break before Miami on Jan. 1, 2026.

Virginia Tech Athletics

BLACKSBURG, Va. — Virginia Tech women's basketball wrapped up its non-conference slate with a drubbing of Radford Sunday afternoon; the Hokies swept by the Highlanders, 79-47, to claim their 11th victory of the season.

The gift that keeps on giving! 🎁 pic.twitter.com/uVtWJWcmGv

— Virginia Tech Women's Basketball (@HokiesWBB) December 21, 2025

Though Radford (8-7, 0-0 Big South) hung tough throughout the first half, Virginia Tech (11-3, 1-1 ACC) controlled the second, tallying 48 points in the final 20 minutes to the Highlanders' 28. That charge began with a 6-0 run to open the second half that pushed the lead to double-digits and it didn't stop from there. In the final 20 minutes, the Hokies were pinpoint, knocking down 17 of 30 (56.7%) from the field, while limiting Radford to 8-of-32 (25%) shooting.

Forward Carys Baker emerged as the focal point. For the third straight outing and fifth time this season, the forward surpassed the 20-point mark, notching 23 points on 8-for-14 shooting, including a 4-for-7 tally from beyond the arc. In the month of December, Baker has averaged 16.7 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.

Discounting her struggle against Duke, where she made only two of 10 in a 70-54 loss to the Blue Devils, Baker has made 60% of her shots in the Hokies' five December wins. In all of the Hokies' wins, Baker has gobbled up seven or more rebounds. Against the Highlanders, Baker also tallied a season-high four assists.

"I think Carys is just really falling in love with that process," Duffy said in her postgame press conference. "I know she was a little bit disappointed in the beginning of the year with how she was playing, and oftentimes, we were just talking about resetting herself. And she's a really versatile player. And sometimes when you're focused on only one aspect of your game, you lose that mindset [of] you have so many different ways to help our team.

"And I think that's what she's done in the last couple weeks, of just buying into her inside game. Obviously, she can stretch the floor. Her rebounding has gotten better, and so, I just think she's settled into what she's always wanted to be this season. It's just a matter of being a little patient with herself to get her going and getting her to the right spots on the floor."

The winning process was supplemented by forward Kilah Freelon, who tallied nine points, 17 rebounds and three blocks. Duffy remarked after the game that Freelon would have wanted "her free throw back"; the Texas Tech transfer missed a free throw with 5:40 remaining in the fourth quarter that would have boosted her to 10 points.

"Kilah is going to want that free throw back, I know that, to get her that 10th point," Duffy said. "But yeah, 17 boards was tremendous. I'm loving what Kilah is doing with her discipline. She was bummed out a couple weeks ago about getting into some foul trouble. She's really adjusted to staying disciplined, being smart.

"Sometimes you have to let a possession go, based on the game, and I thought she has really come into her own with that. I don't know what the record is for rebounds around here, but 17 is pretty good. So, very proud of her, her effort, this afternoon."

Though Freelon's role in the offense has decreased, with her going 7.86 shots/game in November to 5.5 in December, the forward has remained a presence on defense, averaging 7.1 rebounds in December. Freelon's 17 rebounds mare the fourth time that she's eclipsed the 10-rebound mark and the third time she's grabbed 14 or more.

Guard Mel Daley was also a steady presence; the Northwestern transfer tallied her third straight game, and fourth of her last six, in double-figures. Coming off her first career double-double vs. Florida State — 16 points, 10 rebounds — Daley logged 15 points and five rebounds against the Highlanders.

Freshman Aniya Trent also stood out in limited minutes. The freshman forward tallied six points, six rebounds and three blocks in 11 minutes of work.

Still, those positives were offset by several struggles. Guard Mackenzie Nelson tallied a 6/7/4 statline, albeit with a 3-for-10 mark from the field, while Radford limited guard Carleigh Wenzel to 1-for-9 shooting and six turnovers. Wenzel was effective elsewhere, however, finishing with six assists and seven rebounds, the latter marking a season-high for the redshirt junior.

Virginia Tech was also active in the passing lanes, causing 22 turnovers from Radford. In every quarter, the Highlanders turned the ball over at least five times.

Consequently, Virginia Tech (11-2, 1-1 ACC) enters the lion's share of its ACC schedule on a four-game heater, having claimed consecutive victories over Presbyterian (92-36), East Tennessee State (73-55), Florida State (79-54) and now, Radford (79-47). Exiting the non-conference stretch, Duffy remarked that the team has played a wide variety of different styles, from slow, grind-it-out ball to more pushing-the-pace, tempo-heavy to outside-centered squads.

In Duffy's eyes, there's some games that she'd like back at this point in the season, but she's "very, very happy with where they're at." To her, those games represent a stepping stone; a loss can push the team forward if it teaches the team.

"We've learned so much played so many different styles," Duffy said. We've learned a lot about ourselves in adverse moments. We've gotten some experience on the road... I think we're growing. I think people are getting confident, and I think they're getting confident with just settling into their roles, and the work is starting to pay off... I'm very, very happy where we're at. I'd like a couple, maybe, games back, but at the end of the day, those moments where you fail, or you have a big learning lesson, that propels you to maybe get a big win. And now, as we turn the page when we come back from Christmas break, every night in the ACC is going to be difficult."

Virginia Tech now possesses a 10-day break before it rings in the New Year with its third ACC clash of the 2025-26 campaign. The Hokies contest Miami on Thursday, Jan. 1 at 6 p.m. ET, with viewing for the contest available on ACC Network Extra. Following that contest, Virginia Tech has two straight road contests on its docket. First is No. 16 Louisville on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2026 at 4 p.m. ET. Then, it's a travel to Syracuse to play the Orange on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026 at 6 p.m. ET. Tech's contest against the Cardinals will be watchable on the ACC Network, while fans can watch the Hokies-Syracuse game on ACC Network Extra.