The two women’s basketball Commonwealth Clashes have extra meaning this season, with both teams possibly on the NCAA Tournament bubble.

Virginia Tech won the first one Sunday, defeating Virginia 76-64 before 5,281 at Cassell Coliseum.  According to ESPN’s Charlie Creme, through Friday’s results, Virginia Tech was among the last four in the field of 68 and UVA was among the first four out. So each February game figures to be critical in their hopes.

Carleigh Wenzel had 23 points, six rebounds and five assists for Tech (18-5, 8-3 Atlantic Coast Conference). Mackenzie Nelson had 15 points and five assists, Samyha Suffren had 12 points and five rebounds, and Carys Baker had 11 points, six rebounds and two blocks.

For the Cavaliers (15-7, 7-4), who shot just 35% (22 of 64), Kymora Johnson had 19 points, Gabby White had 15 points and seven rebounds, and Sa’Myah Smith had seven points and 11 rebounds.

UVA’s last lead was 35-34. Tech outscored the Cavaliers 21-14 in the fourth quarter to pull away.

William & Mary 79, UNC Wilmington 68: Five double-figure scorers propelled the Tribe (11-9, 4-5 Coastal Athletic Association) past the Seahawks (5-16, 1-9) in W&M’s annual Gold Rush game before 1,161 at Kaplan Arena. The Tribe overcame 27 points by UNCW’s Kylah Silver.

W&M’s Cassidy Geddes had 18 points and five assists, while Alexa Mikeska had 16 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Monet Dance sank a trio of 3-pointers on the way to 15 points, Kyah Smith had four 3-pointers and 14 points, and Jana Sallman had 10 points, nine rebounds and a career-high six blocks.

W&M led 34-30 at halftime, then increased the margin to 70-52 before a few UNCW 3-pointers closed the gap in the fourth quarter.

North Carolina A&T 62, Hampton 57: Despite Kiki McElrath’s 23 points and Kayla Lezama’s 11, the Pirates (9-12, 3-6 Coastal Athletic Association) lost to the Aggies (8-12, 3-6) at the HU Convocation Center.

Paris Locke had 18 points, 11 rebounds and three steals for A&T in a game that was close all the way. The final tie was at 50, and Crystal Hardy hit a 3-pointer and a layup before Locke sank two free throws and a layup to put the Aggies ahead 59-52 with 55 seconds to go.

Lezama’s layup and then her 3-pointer with 4 seconds left cut the margin to 60-57, but Jamyia Lindsey clinched A&T’s triumph with two free throws with 2 seconds remaining.

Richmond 77, VCU 65: Junior Ally Sweeney scored a career-high 27 points, and senior Maggie Doogan posted her 19th UR double-double as the Spiders (18-4, 8-1 Atlantic 10) beat the Rams (8-15, 4-7) at Siegel Center.

Cyriah Griffin, who played for Princess Anne, King’s Fork and Menchville High, had 17 points and four assists for VCU, which was led by Katarina Knezevic’s 22 points.

Doogan had 22 points, hitting all 12 of her free throws, and 10 rebounds to help UR beat VCU for the seventh straight time. Rachel Ullstrom had 15 points and eight rebounds.

No. 1 Connecticut 96, No. 15 Tennessee 66: Azzi Fudd scored 27 points and Sarah Strong added 26 in Hartford as UConn (23-0) handed Tennessee (14-5) its worst loss in the storied rivalry.

The Huskies only led 57-53 midway through the third quarter before scoring the last 14 points of the period to blow the game open.
The margin of defeat topped Tennessee’s 23-point loss to UConn in 2002. It was the second-worst loss ever for Tennessee, only surpassed by a 31-point defeat to Texas in 1984.

Janiah Barker scored 16 points to lead the Lady Vols.

No. 2 UCLA 88, No. 8 Iowa 65: Angela Dugalic scored a season-high 22 points and had a career-high five steals as UCLA (21-1, 10-0), the only unbeaten team in Big Ten play, extended its overall winning streak to 15. Kiki Rice had 17 points and seven assists and Lauren Betts scored 16 points.

The Bruins shot 57.8% from the floor, compared to 43.4% for Iowa (18-4, 9-2), which got 19 points from Ava Heiden.

No. 4 Texas 78, No. 10 Oklahoma 70: Madison Booker and Justice Carlton scored 16 points each, Jordan Lee scored 14 and freshman Aaliyah Crump added 12 points off the bench as Texas (21-2, 6-2 Southeastern Conference) won its 38th straight home game and improved to 7-2 this season against AP Top 25 opponents.

Payton Verhulst led the Sooners (17-5, 5-4) with 18 points.

No. 5 Vanderbilt 82, Florida 66: The Commodores (21-2, 7-2 SEC), who trailed 25-10 in the second quarter and 36-25 early in the third, outscored Florida 32-12 in the third quarter and ended a two-game losing streak by downing the Gators (13-11, 1-8).

Mikayla Blakes provided 30 points and eight assists for Vanderbilt. Me’Arah O’Neal, basketball legend/commentator Shaquille O’Neal’s daughter, led Florida with 22 points and eight rebounds.

No. 6 LSU 103, No. 24 Alabama 63: Jada Richard scored 16 points as LSU (21-2, 7-2) recorded its seventh straight win.

The Tigers, who lead the nation in scoring margin, scored 100 points in an SEC game for the first time this season. They handed the visiting Crimson Tide (19-4, 5-4) their worst defeat of the season.

ZaKiyah Johnson had 15 points and 10 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. Jessica Timmons led Alabama with 15 points.

No. 7 Louisville 71, California 59: Tajianna Roberts had 21 points, five assists and four rebounds in Berkeley, California, as the Cardinals (21-3, 11-0) extended their winning streak to 14 games and remained tied with No. 20 Duke atop the ACC standings. They broke a three-game winning streak by the Golden Bears (13-10, 4-6).

No. 9 Michigan 94, No. 13 Michigan State 91, OT: Mila Holloway scored a career-high 26 points for the Wolverines (19-3, 10-1 Big Ten) in the rivals’ first matchup with both teams ranked in the Associated Press top 15. Olivia Olson made a three-point play and 3-pointer on consecutive possessions to help the Wolverines pull away in OT in East Lansing.

The host Spartans (19-3, 8-3) had a chance to win it at the end of regulation, but Inés Sotelo’s shot from midcourt rimmed in and out. MSU’s Jalyn Brown had a season-high 21 points.

No. 22 West Virginia 70, No. 14 Baylor 60: Former Norfolk State star Kierra Wheeler had 18 points and 15 rebounds, Jordan Harrison also scored 18 points, and WVU (18-5, 8-3) won in Morgantown. Baylor (19-4) and No. 12 TCU, which lost 62-60 to No. 21 Texas Tech, remained tied for first place in the Big 12 with 8-2 records.

No. 20 Duke 80, Wake Forest 44: Riley Nelson scored 16 points, Toby Fournier and Arianna Roberson contributed double-doubles, and the host Blue Devils (16-6) posted their 13th straight win.  The Blue Devils’ 11-0 ACC start is their best under coach Kara Lawson, who is in her sixth season. Duke led 42-10 after a first half in which Wake Forest had 17 turnovers and shot only 15%.

Fournier had 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Roberson compiled 12 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. Wake’s Milan Brown, a 5-8 freshman, had 13 points and 17 rebounds.

https://www.pilotonline.com/2026/02/01/hokies-overcome-uva-women-in-clash-of-potential-bubble-teams/