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Syracuse has arguably never looked better against a Power Five opponent than it did in the second half of its last contest.

Against Wake Forest — a conference foe who had overperformed its way to 12 wins heading into Jan. 4 — the Orange closed out their 73-58 win in dominant fashion, finishing the game shooting over 50% from the field while holding the Demon Deacons to under 40% shooting.

With the win, SU surpassed its win total from the entirety of the 2024-25 campaign. But the job isn’t finished for head coach Felisha Legette-Jack’s squad. Now, it’s just hoping to keep that same momentum rolling into another Atlantic Coast Conference tussle against Virginia Tech.

Here’s everything to know about the Hokies (11-5, 1-3 ACC) before they square off against Syracuse (13-2, 3-1 ACC) Thursday:

All-time series

Virginia Tech leads 10-9.

Last time they played

It wouldn’t be unreasonable to dub these two programs’ last matchup as “The Sophie Burrows Game.” When the Hokies last hosted the Orange on Feb. 6, 2025, the Australian shot the cover off of the ball, erupting for eight 3-pointers and a career-high 28 points.

Her efforts propelled Syracuse to an upset 93-87 victory over VT — who entered the matchup with a 15-8 record. The Orange got out to a 49-37 lead at the half, and held on late to escape with their third ACC victory of the 2024-25 campaign.

The Hokies report

Virginia Tech is still adjusting to life after Kenny Brooks.

The former Hokies bench boss spent eight seasons at the helm of the program, accruing a 180-82 record in that span. Brooks closed his tenure in Blacksburg with a streak of four consecutive tournament appearances, and advanced all the way to the Final Four in the 2022-23 campaign.

Then, he jumped ship to Kentucky after the 2023-24 season. In her second year as VT’s head coach, Megan Duffy is still trying to recapture that same level of success. The Hokies’ best win this year is undoubtedly a 68-64 triumph over Florida. Outside of that, their resume doesn’t have much else that jumps off the page.

One thing that can be said for VT, though, is lineup consistency. All five of its primary starters average over 22 minutes per game, and they have all started at least 15 of its 16 contests. The group’s leading scorer is Carys Baker, a returning starter who is netting 13.8 points per game.

How Syracuse beats Virginia Tech

The Hokies have lost five games so far this season, and three games in ACC play. In four out of those five matchups — and all three of its conference losses — there has been a single common denominator: an imposing paint presence.

In its most recent losses to Louisville and Miami, Cardinals forward Laura Ziegler dominated down low for 18 points and nine boards, while Hurricanes center Ra Shaya Kyle ignited for 23 points and 13 rebounds. And in its earlier ACC loss to Duke, Blue Devils forward Toby Fournier — who already had her way with the Orange this season — blitzed the Hokies frontcourt for 19 points, nine boards and four blocks.

As its center, Uche Izoje has the power to will SU to victory. It just has to let her do so.

Stat to know: 318

Much to Legette-Jack’s dismay, it’s not going to be easy to keep the Hokies away from the free throw line. Currently, Virginia Tech ranks 10th in the nation with 318 fouls drawn, a mark that towers over Syracuse’s figure of 251.

It’s going to be especially interesting to watch how Izoje is approached defensively. As previously mentioned, she has the power to take over this game for the Orange. But if she gets into foul trouble early — much like SU’s loss to Duke, where she fouled out — then VT might be able to neutralize her.

Player to watch: Mackenzie Nelson, guard, No. 3

After redshirting her freshman year and coming off of the bench last season, Mackenzie Nelson has finally taken over the starting point guard role for the Hokies as a redshirt sophomore. She carries serious pedigree from her high school days, winning the Gatorade Connecticut Player of the Year in her time at St. Luke’s School.

This season, Nelson is averaging 8.3 points and a team-leading 6.3 assists per game for the Hokies. But most importantly, she has family ties with SU. Her sister, Camdyn Nelson, is a freshman for the Orange, where she’s made three starts in 11 games. If Camdyn appears, it’ll represent the first time the sisters have faced off at the collegiate level.

“It’s going to be very, very exciting,” Nelson said about the matchup. “Nerve-wracking for our parents, but I think it might be one of the highlights of my life to be able to do that.”

Published on January 7, 2026 at 7:17 pm
Contact Mauricio: mjpalmar@syr.edu | @mpalmarDO