Wrapping up Georgia Tech’s 86-78 loss to North Carolina in the ACC opener for the Yellow Jackets. “There is nothing we can do about it now”. “That’s what we said – we were gonna win this game with stops…We knew he (Barber) was going to get his”. “We fought back (but) were not sharp”. “It was just one of those nights for us where it didn’t go our way”. Virginia Tech has dropped the last seven meetings in this series, although the last two games in Blacksburg have been decided by a total of seven points.
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Those numbers are nearly unheard of for the Cavaliers, who moved up a spot in the national Associated Press rankings a few hours before tipoff.
But the Seminoles came out flat and trailed for most of the game before the Tigers pulled away.
“We had to keep playing”, Gottfried said. Both hit numerous tough shots, particularly Hudson. “On the road you are going against teams that are desperate to get you in this type of game”.
“You have to. You have to have grow (from it) mindset”.
During this game, some major differences showed up between the two teams.
Allen hit 9 of 19 from the floor, including three 3-pointers for the Hokies (9-5, 1-0 ACC).
Virginia Tech may have to defend Virginia’s 3-point shot all the way to London tonight.
But its missed free throws and 3-pointers started to pile up, and so did Virginia Tech’s offensive rebounds. Perrantes drove to the basket but no foul was called in the closing seconds, much to the dismay of Bennett. UVA then fouled Allen with 8.1 seconds to go, and Allen hit one of two free throws to give the Hokies a 70-68 lead. Perrantes knocked down four 3-pointers early in the second half to push the visitors to the lead, but it didn’t stand. He finished with 22 points and 2 assists. Virginia forward Anthony Gill had 17 points and fellow forward Malcolm Brogdon had 15. Gill (15.2 points, 6.3 rebounds) is the first Virginia player since Sean Singletary in 2007-08 to score in double figures in each of the first 13 games of the season and ranks sixth in the conference in field-goal percentage (59.5), converting at a 67.3-percent clip over the last five contests. Injured forward Kennedy Meeks (bruised knee) has been sidelined since mid-December, and Williams said he won’t play Monday at Florida State, but UNC possessed more than enough firepower thanks to a career-high-tying 11 points and five rebounds from 6-foot-11 senior Joel James.
That hot shooting helped cover up a poor first half (36.4%/8-22) of offense, but it did not cure the other big issue of the night: turnovers. The Cavaliers were uncharacteristically sloppy with the ball in the first 20 minutes with nine turnovers as the Hokies led 26-21 at the break. Jerome Robinson had 15 points and seven rebounds for the Eagles, who led by six points with 12:46 left in the first half before giving up 20 of the next 25 points.
Virginia Tech, last-place a season ago and with its own problems outside the league this season, came back from 14 points down in the second half to beat N.C. State 73-68 in overtime on Saturday.
Berry’s 3 was part of a 9-0 burst, and he followed with a driving basket for a three-point play on the next possession.
Jordin Canada scored 24 points and UCLA defeated Oregon State for the Bruins’ first victory over a ranked opponent in over two years.
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At the end of the game, Shane Henry made the massive play to seal the Virginia Tech win. Monday the Hokies did, a credit to them after a trying non-conference season that ended with lopsided defeats against Saint Joseph’s and West Virginia.
