Question for the Home Crowd
VT is losing alot but what's coming In ?? For Better or Worse as they say in a marriage...carry on
53 Replies
3mo
At least since 2024, the pattern appears persistent: we tend to lose a substantial number of our best players and replace them with question marks that need development and good coaching. That goes for most sports -- particularly VTFB, MBB, and WBB. Duffy is pretty clearly managing that way-station status better than the other two programs, but it's hard to manage it worse than they have.
** Edited by Long-Lost Hokie at 4/15/2026, 12:11:24 PM
(In response to this post by JRHokie)
3mo
Sure you still have Carleigh, but even Samyha portalled under Brooksie and/or CMD recruited her so first year of it being "her" team. The biggest problem of losing Mackie and Carys is experience so it's going to be a youngish team things could be interesting for a while as they sort out point guards and post players. The latter should be fun: 63, 63, 63, 64 so for all of you pointing out the obvious that VT needs taller players, well you got taller players. I admire CMD for working around a lot of problems, thinking she will be able to play straight up this year.
So, it's going to be a developmental year although Duffy seems to be a win-now coach so it will be interesting who else she can get in the portal: experience I think . (and not really her fault, we basically lost 1 or 2 recruiting years when we changed coaches: this is the hole it created) I'm thinking Hurst > Baker, yeah, wish we could have kept Mackie, the proverbial "solid" player, pg's going to be a scrum for a while.
Thinking the year will seem like a half step back but that, of course, depends on who emerges during the season. Late season (may) be a (lot) better than early season.🤞
** Edited by `lag at 4/15/2026, 4:56:50 PM
(In response to this post by JRHokie)
3mo
for long unfortunately.
(In response to this post by `lag)
3mo
seen (not just here) that just can’t Kitley or Best-up? I want strength and intelligence. Give me Charles Barkley with a wig and a dress. Or that guy from Louisville 30 years ago (can’t remember his name). But a 6’3” with those qualities (or two) would be great
(In response to this post by `lag)
3mo
(at least his college years).
The years really run together after a while - 🙂.
(In response to this post by DGHOKIE)
3mo
I'm a little bit disappointed that Petersen played more than Trent in the NCAA game. She does have a super quick outlet pass although I'd love to have seen more of her wheeling around and taking the basket.
We'll see.
(In response to this post by DGHOKIE)
3mo
She was arguably our best/most well-rounded player. Carleigh is great too and thank God we kept her. Hopefully Hurst will eventually be good. But Baker will really be missed next year. She was a scorer, rebounder, and a team leader. I agree with your other points but really hated to see Carys leave.
(In response to this post by `lag)
3mo
Tight, defensive strategeries?
(In response to this post by HokieHouse)
3mo
Quality additions plus improved performance from the returners(particularly Suffern), continued progress, regression isn’t acceptable in my book
(In response to this post by `lag)
3mo
My only guess will be at least another 3pt shooter
(In response to this post by 1977hokie)
3mo
(In response to this post by `lag)
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2hhoop3
3mo
something else be that you seem to be inferring without saying it?
(In response to this post by Stork)
3mo
(In response to this post by VermontDDS)
J
j9hokie
3mo
(In response to this post by VAHokie89)
3mo
(In response to this post by j9hokie)
3mo
chose to leave at this time.
Will be watching future movement closely.
(In response to this post by 2hhoop3)
3mo
mischaracterization. She clearly was the best PG we had. But she also, very clearly, was not the player we need to compete at the highest levels. She couldn't guard her position, and she couldn't (or wouldn't) shoot from the outside. Both of those factors caused major issues in offensive execution. The first of which forced Duffy to start and play Wells *major* minutes even though she was essentially a non-contributor on offense. The second one cause issues with spacing and clogged driving lanes because the opponent could back way off Mackie and sag into help position.
Baker, unfortunately, had maxed out her effectiveness at the 4. She's proved she has no low post offense and she struggled to guard bigger, stronger post players. So in Duffy's system she is a 4. But her physical abilities put her between the wing and 4. Again, just not a perfect fit. However, she is tough and she can really shoot it. So on balance, of course, she was a major asset. Her AllACC accolades say as much.
But in order to grow, we need better players. Ones who can play effectively on both ends of the court. And ones who Duffy doesn't have to mix up the lineup and floor minutes in order to try to cover over weaknesses in their games.
Now, will Duffy be able to get those players? We don't know, we'll just have to see.
(In response to this post by Stork)
3mo
She’s a big loss.
Saying she “couldn’t guard her position” is pretty lame too…she was very disruptive many times on the ball and was a catalyst causing steals &!’forcing opponents’ turnovers. Once she started shooting s bit more late in the year she scored more too. Shooting can develop…hard to develop her speed and quickness and passing ability
She’s going to be very good
(In response to this post by King of Hokies)
3mo
Mackie actually guarded. Then come back and tell me how lame that is.
Yes, as my posts all indicate, Mackie is very good at taking care of the ball and doling out assists. If only that were all you need your PG to do....
(In response to this post by hokiepro)
3mo
Was a competent defender
(In response to this post by King of Hokies)
3mo
Wells and Suffren did. Wells was one of the last efficient offensive starters at guard in the entire ACC. And yet she started and logged major minutes. Why? Because we needed someone to guard the opponent's PG.
You guys think we weren't good offensively because we weren't "good shooters." But you have no idea how much the lineup affected that. Duffy couldn't have no one on the floor to stop the ball, therefore we started 2 greatly limited offensive players. That's why our offense looked so rough for large stretches of time, especially when the other team wouldn't let us run on them. Not just because we "didn't shoot well."
BTW, I'm still waiting for you to tell us which ACC PGs Mackie guarded.
(In response to this post by hokiepro)
3mo
Baer wanted to be all-around player and wanted to play around the basket also. It was never forced on her. She approached the coaches about ot last year.
Wells played alot because of daley’s issues on defense
(In response to this post by King of Hokies)
3mo
in Duffy's first year because there wasn't another one on the roster. Period, end of story. It doesn't matter what she said in interviews. That was just coach/player speak.
Secondly, your assumption about Wells vs Daley also isn't right. Name one PG that Mackie guarded after the midway point of the season. She was left to guard the opponent's weakest guard over and over again. Duffy tried to get her to guard GT's Moon (who isn't even that great) but that lasted all of 4 mins as GT built a 9 point lead. She never tried to guard Nivar for UNC, never tried to guard Fiso from Oregon. Johnson from uva, heck no! On and on. You can go look it up if you didn't notice. But I did. It is very rare for a PG to not guard the other team's PG and it put a lot of stress on the lineups that Duffy was forced to play.
Everyone who has been around basketball, and especially those who coached it -- that includes you, knows that the 2 guard has traditionally been an offense-first player who could be weaker on defense. So much so that folks used to call that position "Scoring Guard." Still that spot on the floor is used by almost every coach as a scoring-first player and they are willing to trade off defense for offense in that spot. Duffy wasn't afforded that luxury because our starting PG couldn't defend her own position.
So, sorry, both of your claims don't stand up to the facts at hand.
(In response to this post by VAHokie89)
3mo
This is not a bash at Mackie post, because I wished she stayed. But to Kings point, in the 7 games against our toughest competition, the 6 acc games against the 5 teams ahead of us in the acc standings and the ncaa tourney game against oregon, we were 0-7 and not competitive at all in 5 of those games. In those games Mackie was 15 of 46 shooting, avg 6.6 pts a game and had 29 assists to 20 turnovers. If we are going to be competitive in those games, we need much better point guard play. I wish her all the best and again was sorry to see her go. But if we want to compete, we need to upgrade the roster around carleigh
(In response to this post by King of Hokies)
3mo
(In response to this post by Battlesuggs)
3mo
with Caitlin Clark and Raven Johnson years ago where they just left her alone. When Mackie did shoot, it was more so because teams were naturally doubling Freelon or drawn to drive or it was from the weakside and rotation was slow getting over. The paint was crowded because our spacing was not good at times...Freelon and Baker near each other, with a good drifting inside the three point line for example...or someone driving and teammates staying in the way.
Yes, Nelson was not a good outside shooter and you didn't have to really stress about her. But teams were not packing the paint because of her.
(In response to this post by mrknowitall)
3mo
They didn’t guard her shot
(In response to this post by VAHokie89)
3mo
And if I were her, I would tell them about my plans re: the portal. If I were Duffy I would have and would be doing everything in my power to be getting a strong PG who could defend. That's #1 by far. And I would have been honest with Mackie that's what I intended to do and she would need to compete for the starter's job.
Do I know this happened? Absolutely not. Only a few people do know what was said and what went into their decision making. I'm not about to set myself up to pretend to know that stuff.
(In response to this post by Stork)
3mo
“in your back pocket”, I guess we’ll see
(In response to this post by Stork)
3mo
a chance to find a new home that offers the playing time and position they want to play.
(In response to this post by 1977hokie)
3mo
I am not a fan of streched 4 and rather have a proper 4 (and 5), but that's just me.
Don't disagree about Nelson.
(In response to this post by King of Hokies)
2
2hhoop3
3mo
and I think it is just another sign that collegiate athletics has moved even closer to big business.
(In response to this post by Stork)
3mo
(In response to this post by 2hhoop3)
3mo
(In response to this post by mrknowitall)
3mo
pushed the hardest to retain. Making sure the financial side was taken care of.
Guess not.
(In response to this post by 2hhoop3)
2
2hhoop3
3mo
but, the pull was stronger for other things. I have no idea the reason but, discussions here have mentioned money, chance t contend, better system fit, etc.. Good luck to them and I hope they find what they are seeking. VT fans and most college fans are likely going to have to modify their perspectives and expectations to focus more on the jersey and not get as attached to the person wearing it, or at least recognize the potential short term rental nature of things nowadays.
(In response to this post by Stork)
3mo
and/or what you're implying. My working theory right now is that Baker doesn't need the money but would like to play for a perennal contender in her final year, we've had a few of those come the other way, eg T Soule or even Freelon...
Like some others have said, can't figure out what Mackie's doing, I don't buy that it's a better system for her, I liked what she was doing at VT, as long as you count assists and the other ways she helps and not scoring per se. Money's of course an easy answer for her/not Baker but are they really doing more than VT? But maybe $10k more matters, I dunno. She, of course, still has two years so more of a career move. Maybe when you change coaches some players "stick around" but they don't really "buy in" (although again, she'd gotten better...) transferring is a way of controlling their lives, making it her choice again. OK, you can see I've have sleepless nights thinking about this.
Interesting comment below. Brooksie's Svengali girl-dad thing works clearly a dad thing going on, you absolutely saw it with Georgia.
** Edited by `lag at 4/15/2026, 10:34:41 AM
(In response to this post by Stork)
3mo
** Edited by `lag at 4/15/2026, 8:02:46 PM
(In response to this post by Nelsonia Hokie)
S
stescham
3mo
but don't take my word for it. Where are you reading that Vin Baker is getting a 30 million dollar check this year? Couldn't find anything with a super brief google search.
(In response to this post by `lag)
3mo
but Allen's the one who has a trust fund and makng $800k in residuals. That as showing coming due in 2030. Whether it was me or someone doing it for me I should have double checked that cuz I had looked it up before and saw the $500k to $150k net worth So yeah, thanks for calling me on that.
Yeah, I feel that estrangement, you would think that Vin would have shown up at a VT game, kinda wondered about that independently at the time. That changes my arguments a lot. 'course I could have argued people like to make their own money too thinking of Pegula the tennis star who's dad is a billionaire who owns the Bills.
(In response to this post by stescham)
3mo
** Edited by `lag at 4/15/2026, 9:21:29 AM
(In response to this post by `lag)
J
j9hokie
3mo
be a good upgrade from last year re. talent and ceiling. These are some good athletes we have and I am pretty excited to see how they develop. Yes. experience is certainly important, but I bet they will learn quickly.
(In response to this post by `lag)
3mo
(In response to this post by j9hokie)