Virginia Tech basketball: Hokies take down No. 21 Virginia 95-85

The Virginia Tech Hokies opened their ACC schedule on New Year’s Eve at Cassell Coliseum, hosting the No. 21 Virginia Cavaliers without three key players: senior forward Tobi Lawal, sophomore guard Tyler Johnson and freshman center Antonio Dorn. In one of the grittiest performances in recent Hokie history, Virginia Tech defeated Virginia 95-85 in triple overtime.

If you had stopped watching at the end of regulation, the final score would shock you. The game was tied at 55 apiece going into the first overtime. Both teams had chances to win in the final 30 seconds, but missed shots. Speaking of missed shots, neither team shot well: Virginia shot 36% from the field and was dreadful from 3-point range, making only 10 of 45 attempts (22%). The Hokies weren’t any better, shooting 35% from the floor, but did make 9 of 28 (32%) from beyond the arc.

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The Hokies went ahead by four points in the first overtime before the Hoos battled back to take a 3-point lead. Then, with around a minute remaining, Virginia freshman guard Chance Mallory drills a 3-pointer to put UVa back up by two. This time, freshman center Christian Gurdak saved the Hokies, making two free throws. After another Virginia basket, Gurdak comes through again, slamming the ball through the hoop with four seconds left, forcing a second overtime.

This is where it looked like Virginia would take over. The Hokies had other ideas. VT controlled much of the second overtime, and when sophomore guard Ben Hammond made two free throws with 14 seconds remaining, the Hokies led 75-70. Remarkably, Malik Thomas scored a quick bucket, leaving eight seconds on the clock. He was fouled on the play and went to the free-throw line, where he was successful, making it 75-73. Hammond made both and seven seconds remained. Taking only two seconds off the clock, Thomas drains a trey. Hammond makes one of two free throws on the other end, leaving the door open. With only two seconds remaining, Thomas misses another 3-pointer, but…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/virginia-tech-basketball-hokies-down-044522176.html

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Publish date : 2026-01-01 04:45:00

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