According to a post earlier today on GobblerCountry.com, which cited a Daily Press online article by David Teel, Virginia Tech’s highest rated recruit in program history is transferring from Virginia Tech to Old Dominion.

Apparently, Doe Doe was recruited by former Virginia Tech assistant John Richardson, who left Tech last month, one day after Seth Greenberg was fired. Richardson was an assistant at ODU before coming to Tech and returned to the Monarchs. Doe Doe’s big brother played for ODU.

Popularity: 28% [?]

Virginia Tech Athletics Director Jim Weaver announced at a 4 p.m. press conference that Seth Greenberg has been fired.

Weaver, when asked about the decision, said “I’m not going to throw coach Greenberg under the bus, so I’m going to pass on that question.”

The decision was made last week according to Weaver and Greenberg was notified at 1:30 this afternoon. The players were told around 3:30.

There will be no outside search firm hired to find a replacement. The hiring process will be done in house.

Popularity: 30% [?]

Erick Green and Robert Brown both scored 16 points and Dorian Finney-Smith had 12 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the depth and talent of the dookies. The Hokies lost 56-60 in the ACC quarterfinals Friday night in Atlanta.

The loss effectively ends Virginia Tech’s season, their first losing season since the 2005-2006 campaign. This year’s team finished 16-17.

While there was a lot to be unhappy about during the season, on the whole, there is room for optimism going into next year. You get Green back to lead the team as a senior, four rising sophomores that saw significant minutes as true freshmen, and an established big man in Cadarian Raines, who came on strong down the stretch.

As for tonight’s game against duke, the Hokies suffered through their usual scoring drought, going nearly 15 minutes in the second half only scoring two field goals. And that ultimately cost them the game as we’ve seen so often this season.

Tee time for tomorrow with ample supply of JD.

Popularity: 18% [?]

Box Score — Another close game. Another close loss. This time the culprit was a combination of a long second-half scoring drought, poor ball handling, and the inability to hit clutch free throws. Sound familiar?

Virginia Tech lost another nail-biter Thursday night in Clemson, S.C., 58-56. The Hokies led for much of the first half, but clemson came roaring back and eventually took the lead and held on for the win.

Trailing 56-58 with 11 seconds to play, Clemson’s Andre Young was called for an offensive foul, giving the Hokies the ball with plenty of time. Tech got the ball across mid court where Seth Greenberg called a timeout.

Dorenzo Hudson inbounded the ball to Erick Green, who hesitated near half court before exploding down the right win and then cut to the basket where he fed a wide open Cadarian Raines in the lane for what appeared to be a game-tying dunk.

But Milton Jennings came from the back side and blocked the shot, but was called for the foul. Raines, a 55 percent free throw shooter, missed the first shot. clemson called a timeout. Raines then missed the second and clemson gathered the rebound as the final 2.2 seconds ticked off.

Erick Green’s streak of consecutive games with at least 10 points came to an end. After scoring only 2 points in the first half, Green hit a pair of three pointers in the second half and that was it.

Virginia Tech is now 4-11 in ACC play and 15-14 overall. The Hokies need a win Sunday against n.c. state to secure a winning record in the regular season and prevent a losing record at home versus ACC teams. Tech is currently 3-4 at home against the ACC this season.

Jarrell Eddie led the Hokies in scoring with 15 points. Raines had another good game with 12 points and 8 rebounds. Old Man Zo added 11 points including a trio of big three pointers that kept the Hokies in the game.

Eddie, despite leading Tech in scoring, had a really bad stretch in the second half. Trailing 39-45 Eddie turned it over leading to a Tanner Smith layup off the fast break at the other end giving the tigers an 8-point lead.

Hudson hit a jumper to keep the Hokies within striking distance, 41-47, but after a series of misses by both teams, Eddie delivered another lazy pass that was intercepted and turned into a fast break score made worse by the fact that Eddie fouled Smith from behind for the “and one.”

Smith missed the free throw and Eddie got the rebound, but then immediately turned it over with another lazy pass, his fifth turnover of the game. This time Eddie didn’t wait to foul, he fouled immediately after turning it over. It was his fourth personal and he went to bench.

Tech didn’t play very smart this evening and a prolonged (5+ minutes) scoring drought in the second half, which has become the norm as of late, doomed the Hokies.

Statistically, the Hokies played a whale of a game, shooting 50 percent from three-point range; 43 percent from the field; and while 55 percent at the free throw line is not particularly good, clemson managed just 56 percent. Not to mention the tigers were 0 for 10 from behind the arc.

But, the tigers made more free throws (14) than Virginia Tech attempted (11). Once again, if the Hokies had made just three more free throws, this game likely would have ended much differently.

Play-by-Play – We pick things up early in the 2nd half

39-40 Eddie hits a three at the shot clock buzzer

U16 Media Timeout Score 39-40 clemson

39-41 Clemson makes 1/2 FTs
– held ball, possession to VT
– Raines air balls off the inbounds pass
– clemson miss, rebound to CR
– Raines called for foul going for the rebound, his 2nd PF
– Green misses a three from the right win
– VT steal, clemson fouls
– Eddie misses a three
39-43 Dreadlocked kid scores for clemson
– Hokies 4+ minutes without a FG (here we go again)

U12 Media Timeout Score 39-43

– Hokies turn it over
– clemson turns it over
– another held ball, possession arrow to clemson (VT can’t hold onto the ball)
39-45 Booker hooks a shot over Raines
– Eddie turns it over
39-47 Smith scores off the VT turnover
41-47 Hudson breaks the 5+ minute FG drought with a jumper
– clemson miss, VT rebounds
– DFS bricks a three (bad, horrible shot)
– clemson misses, VT rebounds
– Hudson misses, VT rebounds
– Eddie commits ANOTHER bad pass turnover, then fouls at the other end, count the bucket
41-49 Smith scores AND gets fouled by Eddie (dumb plays at both ends by Eddie)
41-49 Smith misses the FT
– Eddie gets the rebound off the missed FT and then TURNS IT OVER AGAIN
– Eddie then gets called for his 4th personal foul (just not playing smart)
– Eddie has 5 turnovers
41-49 clemson misses 2 FTs
44-49 Green finally hits a three pointer (5 points)
– Timeout clemson
44-51 Young layup on the inbounds pass, VT standing around doing nothing
47-51 Hudson buries a three pointer
– VT 7/14 from three, 50 percent
– Young misses a three pointer
50-51 DFS gets a big offensive rebound, kicks out to Green for the three pointer
50-53 Young scores and gets fouled, will shoot a FT after the media timeout

U8 Media Timeout Score – 50-53 clemson

– Fastbreak point: VT 0, clemson 13
50-54 Young makes FT
– Eddie back in with 4 PFs
52-54 Raines scores with the hook shot in the lane
– Hudson misses the layup off the fast break off the Brown steal
– Clemson knocks loose ball out of bounds
– DFS and Eddie with 4 PFs
– Booker fouls, VT in the bonus

U4 Media Timeout Score 52-54 clemson

54-54 Eddie hits the tough shot off the dribble
54-56 Booker goes inside for the bucket over Raines
– Brown draws the foul
56-56 Brown makes 2 FTs
– 6th tie of the game, 2:50 left
– Hudson called for the block along the baseline
56-58 Smith makes 2 FTs
– Timeout VT, 2:13 left
– Eddie misses a three, Raines can’t put it back
– clemson misses, VT nearly steals, ball out of bounds on clemson
– Brown can’t control the ball, loses control while dribbling, turns it over, and commits the foul
– clemson misses the front end, VT rebound
– Raines misses, clemson rebound
– timeout clemson (19.6 seconds left)
– WOW! Offensive foul on clemson’s Young for pushing off (11.7 seconds left)
– Hokies ball with 11.7 seconds to play
– timeout VT, 7.5 seconds left
– Clemson fouls Raines after blocking his shot, 2.2 seconds
– Why Green passed, I don’t know. Green should have gone up and drawn the foul
56-58 Raines misses the first,
– timeout clemson
– Raines misses the 2nd, rebound to clemson, game over

Final Score: 56-58 clemson

Bollocks.

Popularity: 9% [?]

If you’re being honest with yourself, the Hokies exceeded expectation today. They were on the road against duke, the No. 5 ranked team in the country that just beat ACC-leading florida state in Tallahassee. Tech was missing Victor Davila, who sat out his fourth straight game with a groin injury. And still, the Hokies (4-10, 15-14) took the blue devils to overtime before falling 70-65.

Cadarian Raines powered the Hokies this afternoon with a career-high 16 points and seemed as comfortable as he’s ever been in the low post. He didn’t seem to have any trouble against Duke’s big men, who didn’t seem to have any real answer for him.

Erick Green extended his ACC-leading double digit scoring streak to 30 games with 16 points, all of which came in the second half. Dorenzo “Old Man Zo” Hudson also got hot late in the game to keep the Hokies in it – the senior scored 16 points.

Raines, Green and Hudson combined for 48 of the Hokies’ 65 points. True freshman Dorian Finney-Smith played a respectable game made even more impressive by the fact it was his first trip to duke where the visiting team automatically spots the dookies 4-5 fouls per half. Doe Doe had 6 points and 12 rebounds, which led Tech.

I’m trying to find something to pin this loss on; missed free throws, a 13-minute scoreless drought, something. But I can’t. The Hokies lost to a better team with more depth. I won’t go as far to say that they have better players, because Tech proved their players were equal to the task. Rather, duke has better depth.

This was a close game from start to finish. The Hokies were in it from the get go and even held off a surge by duke in the first half to keep the game close, and survived a 9-0 run by the dookies in the second half.

Tech’s last five games have been decided by 10 points, five of those were the difference in today’s game. The Hokies had their chances to win today, but couldn’t get the shots to go.

Next up for the Hokies is a road trip to clemson on Thursday, March 1. Tipoff is at 9 p.m.

Play-by-Play (picking things up in the 2nd half)

34-34 Green scores in the lane and the foul, missed the FT
36-34 Green steal and fast break dunk
36-35 Plumlee FT
38-35 Barksdale with the baby hook
– Rivers fouled by Eddie
38-37 Rivers makes 2 FTs
– Brown misses for VT, duke rebound
– duke miss, loose ball, Barksdale saves it
– Green fouled, will shoot 2 FTs
40-37 Green makes 2 FTs
40-40 Curry hits a three
– 10th tie of the game
– DFS misses, duke rebound
40-42 Curry drives the lane, take four steps, no call, layup
– Green misses a 3-pointer
– Rankin called for the foul, duke in the bonus, shocker
– duke misses the front end of the 1-and-1
– Raines called for the offensive foul
– Green called for the foul (lots of fouls called against VT)
40-44 Rivers makes 2 FTs

U12 Media Timeout – 40-44 duke

40-46 Hokies turn it over, Curry steals and lays it in
– duke on a 9-0 run
41-46 DFS makes 1/2 FTs
– duke misses, Hokies rebound an airball
43-46 Green pulls up and buries a long jumper from the top of the key, 30th straight game in double digit scoring for Green
– Eddie called for the foul

U8 Media Timeout Score – 43-46 duke

43-48 Kelly makes 2 FTs
45-48 DFS nice drive and dish to Raines, who shot fakes and then puts it up and in
– Kelly called for the foul on a duke miss, his 4th pf
– Raines misses a hook, but Plumlee called for an over the back, Hudson to the line
47-48 Hudson makes 2 FTs
49-49 Green hits a transition jumper off the duke miss (Green has 12 points, all in the 2nd half)
– duke timeout
49-51 Kelly hits an open shot from the win
51-51 Raines is working Plumlee down low, another nice more, 14 for CR
53-51 Raines follows a miss with a put back, 16 for CR (career high)
53-52 Rivers makes 1/2 FTs
– VT turns it over
– Kelly misses a 3-poiner, Raines rebounds
– Hudson airballs a baseline shot, wanted a foul, but not on duke’s home court
– Kelly called for offensive foul, fouls out, fans boo because duke does not wrong
– VT misses wide open 3-pointer
53-55 Rivers hits a 3-pointer (Rivers with 19 points)
55-55 Green with the tough shot in the lane
– 1:50 left –
58-55 Hudson banks a 3-pointer off the glass
58-57 Plumlee gets an offensive board, puts it back
– VT turns it over (as I predicted)
– 40.3 seconds left
58-58 Rivers makes 1/2 FTs
– VT ball with 30 seconds
– Green misses a shot at the buzzer
– Going to OT

– DFS missed twice, duke rebound
58-60 duke scores in the low post
– VT misses, knocks rebound out of bounds, duke ball
– Raines fouls Rivers, to the line to shoot two, Raines’ 3rd PF
58-61 Rivers makes 1/2 FTs
– Eddie misses, VT scoreless through first 2+ minutes
58-63 Curry goes untouched through the lane
61-63 Hudson buries a three pointer off the screen
– DFS called for the foul
61-64 Rivers makes 1/2 FTs (22 points)
63-64 Hudson step back 2-pointer (foot on the line)
– Eddie fouls Plumlee, good foul, 4th PF
63-65 Plumlee makes 1/2 FTs
– 47 seconds left
– Hudson airballs baseline jumper
– Eddie fouls out, 19.4 seconds left
63-66 Rivers 1/2 FTs
– Green misses the layup, duke rebounds, game over
– VT fouls, sending duke to the FT line
– 9.6 seconds left
63-68 Plumlee makes 2 FTs
65-68 Green lays its up
– Thorton of duke gets LAID OUT by Raines on the screen, Jeff Allen-esque!
– 2.9 seconds left
65-70 Curry hits 2 FTs

Final Score – duke 70, Hokies 65

Popularity: 24% [?]

Joe asked, “If we are doing updates, what about d washington, ad vassallo, j gordon, and c collins?” Here you go, Joe!

Deron Washington was drafted by the Detroit Pistons in 2009 in the 2nd round and was signed to a contract, but eventually released.

Since then, he’s played for the Tulsa 66ers and Los Angeles D of the NBA’s Development League (NBDL), and the Hapoel Holon in Isreal.

Currently, Deron is playing for Blusens Monbus Obraboiro CAB in Spain. The team is near the bottom of the ACB standings at 6-14. Through 20 games, Deron is averaging 17 minutes, 5 points and 3 rebounds per game.

A.D. Vassallo played in 36 games for Mets De Guaynabo of the Puerto Rico-BSN and led the team in scoring with 22.2 points per game. He shot better than 50 percent from the field and average about 7 rebounds a game.

Before the Mets, Vassallo played for ASVEL and Paris-Levallois in France and Isabela and Caguas in Puerto Rico.

Jamon Gordon is still playing, too. Currently he’s with Galatasaray Medical Park in Turkey where he’s played 17 games and is averaging 8 points, 3 boards and 1 steal per game.

Before joining MP he played in Greece for Olympiakos and Marousi; in Croatia for KK Split; and in Germany’s Bundesliga for Koeln 99ers and Artland Dragons Quakenbruek.

Coleman Collins is also still balling. Right now he’s in Bosnia playing for HKK Siroki WWIN where he’s played in 18 games and is averaging 9.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

Before Croatia, Coleman had a cup of tea with the Phoenix Suns of the NBA. He’s also done time in the D league for Ft. Wayne. His overseas career includes two teams in Germany – Ratiopharm ULM and ENBW Ludwigsburg.

If you have more information about any of these players or other Hokies in the pros, let us know. Or, if there is another player you’d like to know about, send us the name and we’ll do our best. It’ll cost you a bottle of Wild Turkey, but we also take cash.

Popularity: 16% [?]

Another game decided in the final seconds and another disappointing loss for the Hokies. While it’s quick and easy to blame the Jontel Evans 3-pointer in the second half that was clearly a shot clock violation, or the missed free throws in the final minute, the real reason the Hokies lost 61-59 to the hoos is because they went more than 12 minutes without a field goal in the second half.

This was a hard-fought game that featured stingy defense, big three pointers, and some questionable calls that affected both teams. Between a blown timeout call that went against uva, the 3-pointer that didn’t beat the shot clock but counted anyways, and the multiple clock issue at the Cassell, this game was about as ugly as they come. Not as ugly as the Hokies going a dozen minutes without a bucket, but pretty close just the same.

Erick Green single-handedly kept the Hokies in the game in the second half. After scoring just 2 points in the first half, Green scored 17 of the Hokies’ 24 points in the second half, extending his double-digit scoring streak to 28 straight games.

uva’s Mike Scott got his 20 points due largely to the fact that the Hokies were without Victor Davila, who missed his third straight game with a groin injury. Davila held Scott to just 10 points in the first meeting earlier this season in Charlottesville, where the Hokies stunned the hoos 47-45.

Tech played a solid first half and got scoring from unexpected sources. True freshmen Dorian Finney-Smith and Marqis Rankin each score 8 points to lead the Hokies to a 35-32 halftime lead. Neither would score another point for the rest of the game. Doe Doe kept jacking up three-pointers in the second half and turned the ball over in the final seconds before the Hokies could even get a shot off. Why the ball is even in his hands at that point in the game is beyond me.

Tech shot a respectable 50 percent from behind the arc, hitting 8 of 16 shots, but they began the game 6/8 and finished 2/8. The Hokies also shot 45 percent from the field, but uva shot nearly 60 percent.

Coming out of the halftime break, the hoos quickly tied the game on a Sammy Zeglinski three-pointer, but the Hokies answered to make it 37-35 on a Cadarian Raines bucket. The hoos answered again to tie the game at 37 before Tech went on a 10-2 run to open up an 8-point lead, 47-39.

Green’s layup with about 13 minutes to play was the last bucket the Hokies would score until the final minute of the game. That gave Tech a 49-42 lead, which quickly gave way to a 14-0 run by uva.

The Hokies kept it close thanks to missed shots and free throws by uva and the fact that for the first time all season, a wahoo fouled out of a game. And not just one, but TWO players fouled out; Evans and Zeglinski.

The Hokies sent uva’s Akil Mitchell to the free throw line twice in the final minutes and he came through missing both front ends of the 1-and-1. That kept Tech in the game, but Green missed two free throws and Dorenzo Hudson missed one as well.

The opportunities to win were plentiful, but the Hokies just couldn’t take advantage.

Now for the commentary section of this recap… This was another demoralizing loss, but honestly, I was encouraged for the most part. This team is riddled with injuries (Eddie and Raines are playing hurt) and loaded with true freshmen, yet they are competing night in and night out. Their last four games have been decided by a total of 5 points. They’ve won two and lost two.

This season, at this point, is all about next season. Robert Brown, Marquis Rankin, Dorian Finney-Smith and C.J. Barksdale are all getting serious quality minutes and they’re getting better every game. This team has the potential to be very dangerous next year.

I know we’ve been saying that for years, and call me an optimist, but I think barring injuries, this team could be pretty good for the next several years. Time will tell.

The Hokies go back on the road to face duke on Saturday, Feb. 25, at noon.

Play-by-Play (full disclosure, I’ve already had a drink)

– uva wins the tip
0-2 Scott open the scoring for uva
3-2 DFS hits the uncontested 3 pointer
– VT steal – uva’s Scott turns it over
– Hudson misses, uva rebound
– Harris misses, VT rebound
– Hudson misses, out of bounds off uva
– VT turnover on the inbounds pass, uva gets away with a walk, but Eddie blocks Mike Scott’s shot at the other end
– Green turns it over
– Evans fouled
3-4 Scott works DFS down low
– Mitchell fouls DFS
– Green misses a 3 pointer
– Scott misses, VT rebound
– DFS misses the long jumper after a nice shot fake
– Green called for the foul

U16 Media Timeout Score – 4-3 uva

– uva turns it over on the inbounds pass
6-4 Eddie knocks down a three in the corner
6-6 Mitchell scores over Raines
– VT turnover
6-8 Scott with an offensive rebound and a put-back dunk
– Hudson fouled by Zeglinski taking a three pointer
9-8 Hudson makes all 3 FTs
– VT steal by Brown
11-8 Barksdale with the falling away baseline jumper
11-10 Scott turnaround jumper over Barksdale
13-10 Brown with a tough spin move in the lane for the bucket
13-12 Brogdon goes baseline for the reverse layup
– VT turnover, uva got away with a foul
13-15 uva 3 pointer, wide open after double team on Scott
15-15 Green hits a running shot in the lane over Ziggy
– uva miss, VT rebound
– Brown misses a deep three, uva rebound
– uva turnover

U12 Media Timeout Score – 15-15 uva

– Rankin in the game for the Hokies
18-15 Rankin hits a 3-pointer from the left wing
18-17 Harris with the roll
21-17 DFS gets the three to drop after several high bounces off the rim, his second 3 of the game
21-19

U8 Media Timeout Score – 21-19 VT (7:52)

24-19 Hudson buries the three
– VT steals it from Scott
– VT turns it over
24-21 Scott scores off the fast break from the turnover
27-21 Rankin his his second 3-pointer of the game
– uva miss, VT rebound
– VT shooting 6/8 from three tonight so far
– Hudson misses a three – it was close
– uva called for a travel after getting double teams
– VT’s defense is playing out of its mind
– Ziggy called for the reach-in foul
– Hokies making the most of a mismatch with Hudson
– uva didn’t get a timeout as its player was falling out of bounds
29-21 Brown with the nice feed in the lane to Raines who slams it home
– Eddie called for the foul on Evans

U4 Media Timeout Score – 29-21 VT

29-22 Evans makes 1/2 FTs
31-22 Raines just abused Scott in the low post!!
– Green fouls Evans in the lane
31-23 Evans makes 1/2 FTs
– uva gets the rebound off the missed FT
– uva misses, VT rebounds
– VT misses, uva rebounds
– Evans called for the offensive foul, but it’s overturned, makeup call
31-25 Evans makes 2 FTs
– uva picks up only its 4th team foul
– Evans fouls Rankin going to the rim
33-25 Rankin make 2 FTs
33-27 Scott hits a jumper
33-30 Scott hits a 3 pointer (has 15 points)
– DFS fouled going to the rim
35-30 DFS hits 2 FTs
35-32 Evans hits a jumper at the buzzer to close out the half

Halftime Score – 35-32 Hokies

Rankin – 8, Dorian Finney-Smith – 8, Hudson – 6, Raines – 4, Eddie – 3, Green – 2, Brown – 2, Barksdale – 2

35-35 uva Ziggy 3 pointer
37-35 VT scores, Raines
37-37 uva answers, Mitchell
39-37 Erick Green layup
– Green misses a free throw that would have
41-37 Hudson with the left-handed scoop shot in the lane
– uva turns it over, bad pass out of bounds
44-37 Green hits a left wing 3 pointer, 7 points for Green
44-39 Scott answers with a bucket
– Barksdale misses the hook shot
– Scott misses,Hudson rebounds
47-39 Green hits another 3 pointer, 10 points, 29 straight games with double figures scoring
– 10-2 run by the Hokies

U16 Media Timeout Score – 47-39 VT

47-42 uva 3 pointer
– Brown’s shot blocked, Eddie misses a three in the corner, uva rebounds
– Eddie commits foul
– Eddie limping
– Ziggy misses a 3 point attempt, VT rebounds
49-42 Green with the pretty, athletic runner in the lane (12 points)
49-44 Ziggy scores on the backdoor layup
– Raines misses, uva rebounds
– Harris misses, VT rebounds
– Brown fouled going to the hoop

U12 Media Timeout Score – 49-44 VT

49-44 Brown misses 2 FTs
– uva misses a 3 point attempt, VT rebound
– VT misses, uva rebound
49-46 Evans scores on a slashing layup
– DFS has his shot blocked, bad shot
– VT has lost all momentum
– Green blocks a shot, VT gets the loose ball
– Brown misses another excessively long 3 point attempt
49-49 Ziggy finally makes a 3 pointer
– Rankin misses a 3 pointer
– uva misses three shots, VT rebounds
– DFS misses a 3 point attempt
49-51 Evans scores to give uva the lead
49-53 Ziggy steals it and scores
– timeout VT
– DFS misses ANOTHER 3 point attempt
– foul on VT
– Eddie called for the foul, gives uva a fresh 35
– uva on an 11-0 run
– Scott misses, Eddie rebounds
– Raines misses, Hokies have gone 8 minutes without a FG
49-55 Scott scores and is fouled by Raines
49-56 Scott makes the FT
– uva on a 14-0 run
– foul on Ziggy
51-56 Brown makes 2 FTs
– Evans turns it over for uva
– more than 9 minutes without a FG for VT
– Ziggy gets a held ball call on Brown, possession arrow to uva
51-59 Evans hits a long long three to beat the shot clock
– game over –
– Green fouled
53-59 Green makes 2FTs
– Green fouled going through the lane, nearly got the shot to fall, but it didn’t
– Evans fouled out for uva, first uva player to foul out of a game this year
54-59 Green makes 1/2 FTs
– 11 minutes without a FG for the Hokies
– Ziggy misses a three, VT rebound
– Hudson fouled spinning through the lane
– Ziggy fouls out for uva, the second uva player to foul out this season
55-59 Hudson makes 1/2 FTs
– uva rebounds missed FT
– Raines called for the foul on Scott, 6th team foul on VT
57-61 Green finally breaks the 12+ minute FG drought for the Hokies and gets the foul
58-61 Green completes the 3-point play
– DFS fouls Mitchell (36.7 seconds left)
– Mitchell misses the front end of the 1-and-1, out of bounds on Scott, Hokies ball
– Green fouled going to the hoop
59-61 Green makes 1/2 FTs (26.3 seconds left)
– Raines fouls Mitchell
– Mitchell misses the front end of the 1-and-1
– DFS turns it over before the Hokies can even get a shot off
– uva misses the front end of the 1-and-1, VT rebounds, but no time for a shot

Final Score – uva 61, VT 59

Popularity: 18% [?]

After our brief update about Malcolm Delaney and his French Pro A League team, Elan Chalon, winning the first leg of the LNB season, we got a question asking about Jeff Allen.

Allen also plays in the LNB (Ligue Nationale de Basket), but in the Pro B division, which as I understand it, is a step down from the Pro A division where Malcolm plays. Allen starts for Olympique Antibes, which is 8-13 so far this season. He averages 15.1 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.

As for Terrell Bell, he began the season playing in Finland for KTP Basket Kotka, but it appears he was cut after appearing in just 11 games. During those 11 games, he averaged 9.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. According to his Twitter account, he’s back in the states, but will be heading back to Europe in April.

We reached out to Terrell to see if he’s signed with a new team. You can follow Terrell (@TerrellBell) and Malcolm (@foe23) on Twitter. I couldn’t find Jeff Allen on Twitter, so if you know his, drop it in the comments section below.

Also, if you want to keep track of former Hokies playing overseas, check out EuroBasket.com.

Popularity: 24% [?]

Malcolm Delaney helped his French league team to the 2012 title

In a rematch of last year’s French league championship game, Malcolm Delaney scored 12 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds to help Elan Chalon to the league’s title today, 73-66, over Gravelines-Dunkerque.

However, the French league’s season breaks down into four mini seasons, so today’s title game was just the first of four, so there is still work to be done for Delaney and Chalon.

Fellow American Blake Schilb, a third-year pro out of Monmouth, was named the championship MVP after scoring 13 points, grabbing 7 boards, and netting 5 assists, in the today’s win. Schilb is in his third season with Chalon.

Delaney, in his first year as a professional, is a starter for Chalon and is having a solid season so far averaging 15.1 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds a game. Three times this season, Delaney eclipsed the 20-point mark, including 32 in an 83-65 win over Poitiers.

Congratulations all the same to Malcolm and hopefully he’ll get a look from some NBA teams after such a solid season!

Highlights from the title game (commentary in French)
Highlights from the semifinal game (commentary in French)

Popularity: 26% [?]

The Hokies needed a win. It wouldn’t help them get into the dance, or even into the NIT. Hopes of earning those post-season tournament invites have all but evaporated for Virginia Tech. No, the Hokies needed a win for their own mental well-being.

After having their hearts ripped out Thursday night against florida state, Tech returned home to face the yellow jackets less than 48 hours later. georgia tech, which had lost 10 of its last 12 games, had never won in Blacksburg. And they still haven’t.

Senior Dorenzo Hudson has been hot and cold all season and today, he was cold. But, he got hot at the exact right moment, in overtime. With georgia tech winning 73-71, the Hokies inbounded the ball near their bench with 3.5 left. Hudson got the ball to Jarrell Eddie, who bobbled it in the corner and quickly got double-teamed, but he managed to get the ball back to Hudson who put up a three at the buzzer that hit nothing but net, giving the Hokies a 74-73 overtime win.

The Cassell Coliseum exploded and Old Man Zo was mugged near the Hokies bench. Victory snatched from the jaws of certain defeat. The game-winning shot was only the second one Hudson had hit all night. He finished with 5 points.

The Hokies were once again nearly doomed by missed free throws and were humiliated on the boards 32-18. But, hot shooting from behind the arc (11/20) kept the Hokies in the game. Cadarian Raines missed two free throws with the game tied at 65 in regulation. Either one of them would have won the game. Instead, the game went to overtime, tied at 65.

Junior guard Erick Green once again led the Hokies in scoring with 14 points. Raines, back from missing the end of the fsu game, had 13 points. Tech’s offense was spread pretty evenly with Eddie notching 12, Robert Brown adding 10, C.J. Barksdale back from missing a game had 8, Dorian Finney-Smith and Marquis Rankin each scored 6.

Green extended his double-digit scoring streak to 28 straight games. Turnovers killed georgia tech and saved the Hokies. Bad tech had 14 turnovers while good Tech only committed five, the fewest the Hokies have committed all season. Conversely, VT’s 18 rebounds are the fewest in a game all season.

Next up for the Hokies is a Tuesday home tilt against uva, which annihilated maryland today. Tech upset the hoos back in January 47-45 in Charlottesville. Tipoff is scheduled for 9 p.m. and the game will be televised on ESPNU.

Boxscore and Play-by-Play

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The Hokies did everything they needed to do to win on the road against No. 21 florida state. Everything but hit free throws. Instead, the Hokies blew a 15-point second half lead and missed seven critical free throws in the final 90 seconds that could have sealed the victory.

The noles, despite getting outplayed badly the entire game, were able to hang around just long enough. Trailing by 2 points, 47-45, with 10.2 seconds to play, Jarrell Eddie was fouled, but could not go the free throw line because of cramping. So, Seth Greenberg sent freshman Robert Brown to the line where he missed both free throws. fsu got the rebound, sprinted down the court and hit a game-winning three pointer.

Erick Green, who had a game-high 18 points, got a weak desperation shot off, but it never had a prayer and the Hokies lose an absolute heartbreaker, 48-47, on the road.

There are bad losses and then there’s this kind of loss.

The Hokies fell behind early, yet again, but played solid defense and took advantage of a bevy of fsu turnovers to keep the game low-scoring and close. Tech actually took a first-half lead, but the noles hit a pair of three pointers in the closing seconds to take a 25-23 halftime lead.

Tech came out fired up in the second half and opened up with a 15-0 run and looked to be running away with it. But with Victor Davila (groin) and C.J. Barksdale (ankle) already on the bench in street clothes, the Hokies lost their only big man, Cadarian Raines, to an ankle injury and that changed the remainder of the game as the Hokies had zero post presence.

The noles answers with a 12-2 run and while the Hokies held on to a 6-point lead with 1:29 to play, they missed seven free throws and that’s what eventually did them in.

Heartbreaking doesn’t even begin to describe this loss. To outplay a team by such a wide margin and then lose like that because you can’t hit free throws is beyond devastating.

What makes the collapse even more surprising is that some of Tech’s most reliable free throw shooters – Green, Hudson and Eddie – are the ones that missed the majority of the free throws. To be fair, Brown should have never been in a position where his free throws could decide the game.

Unbelievable. Unreal. I need a drink.

Play-by-Play (accuracy never guaranteed)

– fsu wins the tip, but called for travel, turnover fsu
– Erick Green pass goes out of bounds, turnover VT
2-0 Loucks layup to take the early lead for fsu
– Hudson travels, turnover VT
– Green fouls Gibson
3-0 Gibson makes 1/2 FTs
– Eddie misses a three
5-0 James scores on the nice feed from Loucks
– DFS has his shot blocked, then commits the foul
– fsu miss, VT defensive rebound
– fsu foul away from the ball
– Brown misses a shot, fsu rebounds
– fsu misses a fastbreak layup, then called for a technical foul
5-2 Erick Green makes both technical FTs
– Gibson fouls Raines in the act of shooting
5-2 Raines misses both FTs
– fsu misses, VT defensive rebound
– VT misses, fsu defensive rebound
7-2 Miller to Pope for in the lane
– Green misses the layup, fsu rebounds
– fsu turnover

U16 – 7-2 fsu

– Brown misses the three pointer
– fsu bad pass, turnover
7-4 Green scores off the steal and fast break
9-4 Snaer scores
– VT turns it over
– Snaer misses a three, VT commits a foul
11-4 fsu dunk by No. 50
– timeout VT
– Green misses a jumper
– fsu turnover on the inbounds pass
11-7 Eddie buries a three from the left wing
– fsu misses a runner badly
– Rankin misses a wide open 7-footer

U12 – 11-7 fsu

11-9 Raines follows a Green miss with a 2-handed tip-in
13-9 Loucks answers with a bucket
– Hudson misses a jumper
– Snaer called for an offensive foul, his 2nd foul
– DFS on the bench with 2 fouls as well
– fsu gets away with a goaltending
– fsu turnover
13-11 Raines gets the offensive rebound and puts it back up and in

U8 – 13-11 fsu

– fsu has 8 turnovers, the only reason VT still in the game
– fsu commits 9th turnover
14-13 (vt) Hudson hits a three pointer to give VT its first lead of the game
– color guy wouldn’t shut up and they didn’t even mention tech’s three pointer
16-14 (fsu) answers with a three of its own
18-16 (vt) Hudson hits a three in the corner and gets fouled, completed the 4-point play
– fsu misses, VT rebound
– Hudson misses a three
– fsu misses, VT rebounds
20-16 Green completes a fastbreak layup
– fsu misses, VT rebounds
– Green called for the travel

U4 – 20-16 VT

20-19 fsu hits a three pointer
– this color commentator just won’t effing shut up
23-19 Green answers with a three pointer (Green has 9 points)
– Eddie called for 2nd personal foul
23-19 James misses both FTs
– VT rebounds the miss
– Raines misses underneath
23-22 Dulkys makes a three pointer
– Brown has his shot blocked
25-23 (fsu) Miller hits a three off the fast break
– 6-0 run for FSU
– Green misses a three, but Hudson with the off. rebound
– Loucks fouls Green away from the ball
– Green takes a bad last shot, no one got open

Halftime – fsu 26, VT 23

25-25 Eddie with the baseline jumper (6 points for Eddie)
– fsu bad pass, turnover
27-25 (vt) Green converts off the fast break
30-25 Green drains a three (14 points for Green)
– VT open 2nd half with a 7-0 run
30-25 James misses both FTs
– VT rebounds missed FT
33-25 Eddie buries a three from the corner near the VT bench
– VT on a 10-0 run to open the 2nd half
– fsu timeout
– another fsu turnover
– Green misses a long jumper
– fsu miss, VT rebound
35-25 Green drives from the top of the key, draws the double, feeds DFS for the uncontested two-hand flush
– VT extends run to 12-0
– fsu miss, VT rebounds, fsu fans booing
37-25 DFS gets the feed from Raines off the give and go, gets the hoop and the harm!

U16 – 37-25 VT (fsu has yet to score in the 2nd half)

38-25 – DFS makes the FT to complete the 3-point play
– VT on a 15-0 run
– fsu blocks a Rankin layup, no foul, but ball out of bounds on fsu, still VT ball
– shot clock violation on VT because of a loose ball
– fsu turnover, still hasn’t scored more than 5 minutes into the half
40-25 Brown hits the rainbow jumper from the free throw line
– VT on a 17-0 run
40-27 fsu finally scores its first bucket of the 2nd half at the 13:58 mark, James rebound and put back
– Hudson misses a three, DFS with the rebound and gets fouled
– DFS loses the ball out of bounds, VT turnover
– fsu bad shot, VT rebound
– VT misses, fsu rebound
– fsu takes a long and bad three pointer, misses
– DFS misses the jumper
– fsu misses baseline layup, VT rebounds

U12 – 40-27 VT (Hokies have outscored fsu 17-2 so far in the 2nd half)

– Hudson misses a jumper
40-29 Snaer off the glass
– Raines comes up limping, VT going very small
– Hudson misses a long three as the SC expired
– fsu misses two short shots, VT rebounds
– Eddie misses a three
– Snaer fouled
– Snaer misses a quick shot off the inbounds, VT rebounds
42-29 Green gets a shot to go after bouncing around the rim for an eternity (16 points for Green)
42-31 Gibson follows a misses with a two-hand slam
– DFS airballs a three pointer
42-33 fsu converts off the DFS miss and gets the layup

U8 – 42-33 VT

– VT has gone pretty cold with no big bodies in the post
– Hudson misses a jumper, fsu rebound
– Eddie called for a foul on Snaer
42-35 Snaer scores again off the inbounds pass
– VT misses, but gets rebound
– fsu on a 10-2 run
– VT can’t buy a bucket now
42-37 Miller hits a jumper
– fsu on a 12-2 run
– VT has to use a timeout because it can’t inbound the ball
– foul on fsu’s miller on the inbounds pass
44-37 Green drives the lane and gets the high floater to go (18 points)
– foul on VT
– foul on VT
44-37 Peterson misses both FTs
– DFS gets the rebound
– fsu 1/8 free throws
– Green drives and has hit shot blocked
– DFS block, VT fights hard for the loose gall
– 3:11 left to play
– Hudson misses a shot at the buzzer, fsu rebound
– fsu misses a three, VT rebounds
– fsu called for the foul

U4 – 44-37 VT

– fsu’s white called for a foul
44-37 Green misses front end of a 1-and-1
– Loucks called for offensive foul, 2:02 left
– Snaer fouls Green, 3rd PF for Snaer
44-37 Green misses another front end of a 1-and-1
– fsu rebounds the miss, but Green steals the ball!
– VT timeout
– fsu’s white picks up 4th PF, VT in the double bonus
46-37 Eddie makes both FTs – 1:29 left (10 points for Eddie)
46-40 Peterson hits a three (1:12 left)
– fsu foul
46-40 Hudson misses both FTs
46-42 White gets an easy bucket underneath
– Eddie gets fouled, but came up limping b/c of cramps, White fouls out for fsu
47-42 Eddie makes 1/2 FTs
47-45 fsu makes a three
– VT’s Eddie gets rebound with 10.2 seconds, but Eddie is cramping bad
– fsu crowd is booing Eddie, stay classy fsu fans
47-45 Brown misses both FTs
48-47 Snaer hits a three to win the game
– Green misses a desperation three

Final Score: fsu 48, VT 47

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Box Score

The Hokies looked listless for the first 13 minutes of the game and trailed by as many as 16 points en route to a 65-49 loss to the miami hurricanes Thursday night.

Tech had nothing offensively in the first 15 minutes of the game. I mean nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. In fact, the announcer said exactly what I was thinking:

“All Virginia Tech is doing offensively is standing in place or throwing the ball away.”

As a result, the Hokies fell behind 20-8 courtesy of a 10-0 canes run. It could have been and should have been much worse, but miami was struggling with bad shots and turnovers and couldn’t take full advantage of Tech’s offensive ineptitude.

The Hokies finally got something going late in the first half and went on a 10-0 run of their own to close the gap. Unfortunately, it came after Tech had fallen behind 28-12. Dorenzo Hudson got the run started with a long jumper, followed by an Erick Green fast-break dunk. Marquis Rankin drilled a 3 pointer and Hudson came back with a 3 of his own to cap the 10-0 run and cut the canes’ lead to 6.

But, the canes stole the momentum at the end of the half with a follow slam with a little more than a second remaining and then the clock ran out giving miami a 30-22 halftime lead.

Senior Victor Davila opened the scoring in the second half to cut the deficit back down to 6 and you thought that just maybe Tech could come back and make a game of it. But alas, it was just more of the same.

Tech shot just 35 percent from the field and 33 percent from the behind the arc. But those numbers are made more impressive because of Tech’s second half, which wasn’t a complete disaster. Their first half shooting percentage had to be in the low 20s.

Green, once again, paced the Hokies with 17 points, but he was the only Hokie to score in double figures. Hudson was the second leading scorer with just 8 points.

And for “Hands of Stone” Davila, it was a nightmare of a game. He turned it over more than a few times and just doesn’t seem to be able to hold the ball. Granted, I have to give him and Cadarian Raines credit because considering what miami’s big man Reggie Johnson did to duke last week, I thought Tech’s “bigs” did an admirable job of keeping the big fella in check.

Defensively, Tech played another solid game. Hands of Stone and Make it Raines did their job against RJ and the Hokies used a trapping defense in the second half that force two turnovers. miami hit some crazy long three pointers and you can’t really pin those on the defense.

There’s not much else to say about this game. Oh wait, but there is. Turnovers, shockingly, killed the Hokies. All 17 of them. Oh, and the 6 blocked shots. The most surprising stat is that VT actually won the overall rebounding battle 40-32.

It was a bad loss to team that Tech is capable of beating. But, they didn’t quit. They kept fighting and it’s good to see because this season is already a “rebuilding year,” and there’s not much to play for other than next season when our young guys will be a year older and more seasoned. I still have high hopes for this young team… if they can stay healthy.

As you know, Niemo will fill in the gaps once he sobers up. It was a road loss to a team that beat duke at cameron indoor, and winning on the road in the ACC is hard (unless you’re fsu or miami playing at cameron indoor), so it’s hard to get too bent out of shape over this loss. But, they could have and should have played better and they know that, so no use in beating a dead horse.

Play-by-Play (we pick up the action a few minutes into the game due to Cub Scouts)
accuracy not even remotely guaranteed

2-6 miami leads
– Eddie misses a three –
– miami turnover, VT turnover –
4-6 Green with a fast break layup
4-8 Luckett scores scores inside
– Davila has it stolen away from him –
– miami misses, Eddie rebound –
6-8 Davila offensive rebound and put back
– Eddie blocks Johnson’s shot –
– Green called for an offensive foul –

U16 timeout (13:27) – 6-8 miami

6-10 Jones scores from the top of the key
– Raines fouled after DFS runs into the wall that is Johnson –
8-10 Raines makes 2 FTs
8-12 Johnson feeds Jones for the dunk
– Hudson has his shot tipped –
– Jones misses for um –
– Green misses, Barksdale with the OR –
– Brown misses a runner in the lane –
8-14 Jones with the fast break slam of the full court pass
– Raines misses the hook shot vs. Johnson –
8-17 Brown buries a long 3 point play
– Brown steals it, fouled at the other end –

U12 timeout (9:37) – 8-17 miami

8-18 Brown makes 1/2 FTs
– miami forces a VT turnover –
– miami turns it over –
– VT called for offensive foul, moving screen –
8-20 Jones with a baseline jumper

“All Virginia Tech is doing offensively is standing in place or throwing the ball away.”

– 10-0 miami run –
– VT misses three consecutive shots –

U8 timeout (7:53) – 8-20 miami

– miami turns it over –
– Davila turns it over again, double teamed while standing still in the low post –
– VT turns it over for the 9th time, “palming” the ball –

“If there’s a mistake to be made offensively, Virginia Tech has done it.”

– Davila mishandles a pass for VT’s 10th turnover –
10-20 DFS cleans up a sloppy miss by Brown
– miami has missed last six shots –
10-21 Kadji makes 1/2 FTs
– DFS misses a baseline drive dunk attempt –
– DFS blocks a shot at the other end –
– Raines has his shot blocked by, guess who, Johnson –
– Johnson fouled at the other end –
10-22 Johnson makes 2 FTs
12-22 Hudson with the leaner
12-25 miami hits a 3 pointer
– Davila has his hook shot go in and out –
12-28 Johnson (the big fat guy) hits a three pointer
14-28 Hudson with a long 2 pointer
16-28 Green off the fast break turnover, dunks it
– miami misses, Green rebounds –
19-28 Rankin hits the open 3 pointer in the corner

U4 timeout (1:15) 19-28 miami

– Johnson misses a 3 point attempt –
– VT doing a good job containing RJ –
22-28 Hudson drills a 3 pointer from the corner
– VT on a 10-0 run –
22-30 miami gets a dunk in the final second

Halftime Score – VT 22, miami 30

– Hudson misses the opening shot, miami rebounds, but traveled –
24-30 Davila beats Johnson in the low post with a quick spin move
24-32 Johnson gets a lucky bounce
– Hudson called for traveling, 11th VT turnover –
– Davila called for foul against RJ –
24-33 Johnson makes 1/2 FTs
– Green airballs a shot, DFS with the nice rebound –
– VT misses –
24-36 Kadji makes a 3 pointer
– miami gets called for its 2nd foul of the entire game –
– DFS gets blocked twice –
24-38 miami makes a nice shot
26-38 Green hits a jumper
26-40 RJ scores underneath
– Green fouled –

U16 timeout (15:20) 26-40 miami

27-40 Green makes 1/2 FTs
– miami a perfect 4/4 in the second half –
– miami is 4/5 in the second half –
29-40 Green recognizes the mismatch and gets the bucket, has 9 points
– miami miss, VT rebounds, Kadji blocked Hudson’s shot –
29-42 miami makes 2 FTs
– Jones blocks Eddie’s jumper –
– miami misses –
32-42 Brown buries a 3 pointer (first points of the game)
– Green misses a fast break jumper, rushed it, despite Brown open on the right wing –
– Green called for the foul –
32-43 Kadji makes 1/2 FTs
32-45 Three miami players combine for a dunk off a miss
– miami foul –

U12 timeout (11:32) 32-45 miami

34-45 Green hits a baseline jumper (has 11 points, extending his streak)
34-47 RJ scores after trampling a small midwestern city
– Raines has his shot blocked –
– VT called for a 5 second violation, at least 12 turnovers so far –
– Raines called for a foul against RJ –
– Brown commits a dumbass foul on a 3-on-1 break, had TWO open teammates on either side –
– Good defense by VT forces miami turnover –
– VT has 14 field goals, 15 turnovers –
35-47 Hudson makes 1/2 FTs
– DFS misses a 3 pointer –
– miami misses, VT rebound –
37-47 Green finally hits a shot
39-47 Green gets the hoop and the foul
40-47 Green completed the 3-point play (14 points)
– miami turnover –
42-47 DFS gets the fast break layup off the turnover
42-50 miami hits a 3 pointer
– shot clock violation against VT –

U8 timeout (6:52) – 42-50 miami

– VT’s trap defense has forced a couple of turnovers –
42-53 miami hits a clutch 3 pointer
– Hudson misses a shot –
– Green fouled by Larkin –
43-53 Green makes 1/2 FTs
43-55 RJ goes over a flopping Raines for a the bucket
– VT turns it over –
– Green drives through the lane, gets mugged, but no call –
43-57 Grant scores
46-57 Eddie hits a 3 pointer

U4 timeout (3:40) – 46-57 miami

– Eddie called for PF, his 3rd –
– Just make this awful game end already –
46-59 RJ makes 2 FTs
49-59 Eddie makes a 3 pointer
– miami misses, VT rebounds –
– Eddie misses an awkward jumper –
– Grant missed an easy layup –
– VT turnover –
– miami running the clock –
49-62 Larkin gets the hoop and the foul, completes 3 point play
– Green misses a 3 pointer –
49-65 Larkin hits a 3 pointer

Final Score: miami 65, Hokies 49

Popularity: 15% [?]

Box Score

2012 has not been good to Virginia Tech’s men’s basketball team, save for their win over then No. 16 uva in Charlottesville. Thursday night, the Hokies got trucked in their own house by fifth-ranked duke and two days later, Tech blew a 14-point lead with five minutes to play against clemson. Amazingly, Tech held on to win, 67-65, despite not scoring a field goal for much of the final 8 minutes of the game.

With the Hokies up 64-50 with about 7 minutes to play, Tech went into basketball’s version of the prevent offense (yes, offense, not defense) and it nearly doomed them. Tech managed just three free throws in the remaining 7 minutes and change while clemson went on a 15-3 run.

Victor Davila missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 30 seconds to play and leading 67-65, giving clemson the final shot. Their freshman K.J. McDaniels had a career-high 14 points and got fouled with :03 left (fouling out Jarell Eddie), sending him to the line for a pair of free throws that could tie the game.

The freshmen missed both free throws and after the second miss, his teammate Tanner Smith grabbed the rebound and missed a shot at the buzzer that would have sent the game into overtime. The Hokies escaped by the narrowest of margins.

If ever a win felt like a loss, this would be one of those times. The win-that-nearly-became-a-loss sends the Hokies to 13-10. Finney-Smith finally broke out of his six-game slump in a big way, scoring 12 points, including a pair of three-pointers.

Doe Doe, after missing 25 straight field goal attempts over the last six games, got the Hokies on the scoreboard first. In fact, the highly-touted freshmen shot an impressive 5/8 from the field.

Jarrell Eddie played perhaps his best game of the year and definitely gave you some hope for next season. The sophmore scored a team-high 15 points. Meanwhile, junior guard Erick Green extended his double-digit scoring streak with a free throw late in the game, the Hokies’ 67th and final point. It was Green’s only point of the second half.

Tech led this game from the opening tip and led by 16 midway through the first half. Every time clemson tried to make a run, the Hokies would answer in kind and took a 14-point lead at the half.

The Hokies have five days off before they take their talents to South Beach to take on the canes on Feb. 9. Tipoff is at 9 p.m., and the game will be on either ESPN or the Deuce.

Play-by-Play
Accuracy not guaranteed

2-0 VT – DFS breaks the 0/25, 6-game FG drought!
– turnover clemson –
– turnover VT, backcourt violation –
– steal by VT –
5-0 – Rankin hits a three-pointer
– clemson misses, DFS get rebound –
– shot wedged between the rim and the glass, clemson ball –
5-3 – clemson’s Booker gets the hoop and the harm, foul on Davila
– clemson fouls DFS, non-shooting –
– Rankin misses, clemson rebounds –
– foul on Rankin –
– clemson misses, DFS rebounds –
8-3 – Green hits a three pointer
– clemson misses three, Eddie rebounds –
– DFS gets a rebound, feeds Eddie, misses the dunk, but is fouled –

U16 Score – 8-3 VT

10-3 – Eddies makes 2 FTs (VT 2/2 FTs)
– clemson misses, gets the rebound, fresh shot clock –
– clemson misses, Hudson rebounds –
– VT misses, loose rebound, out of bounds off clemson –
– Green misses, clemson rebounds –
– clemson turnover, stepped out of bounds –
– Raines misses jump hook, clemson rebounds –
– Hudson blocks shot, clemson rebounds, Green steals it –
12-3 – Green converts fast breaks after getting a steal
– Eddie commits his first foul –
– clemson just 1/9 shooting so far –
– clemson playing three freshmen –
12-5 – Cole scores off the inbounds play
14-5 – Raines tips it a missed shot
– clemson turnover –
16-5 – Brown scores off the fast break following the turnover
– clemson calls a timeout –
– clemson has 5 turnovers so far –
– clemson misses, Barksdale rebounds –
18-5 – Nice crossover by Rankin, goes in for the layup

U12 Score – 18-5 VT

18-7 – Smith makes 2 FTs
– VT turnover –
– VT foul –
18-7 – Clemson misses both FTs
– DFS misses a dunk, but Rankin slams home the miss –
21-7 – Rankin follows DFS’s miss with a dunk and gets fouled, Rankin makes the FT
– clemson has three freshmen in the game, turns it over –
23-7 – Green makes 2 FTs
– clemson misses, Davila with the rebound –
– VT turnover –
23-9 – Clemson freshman dunks it from the baseline
– longest losing streak at the Cassell in 10 years –
25-9 – Green hits a jumper
– Eddie blocks a shot out of bounds –
– Green called for the foul –
– clemson in the
25-11 – Smith hits fadeaway
– VT misses, clemson rebounds –
– clemson airballs it –
25-13 – Booker dunks it on a fast break
28-13 – Eddie hits a three, with an assist from the top of the backboard
– clemson misses, Davila rebounds –

U8 Score – 28-13 VT

– Barksdale misses jumper, clemson rebounds –
– clemson misses two shots, held ball, possession to VT –
– VT misses three, clemson rebound –
28-15 – Narcisse makes 2 FTs (Green picks up 2nd PF, sits, Rankin comes in)
– clemson goes to full court press, Greenberg calls a timeout –
– clemson misses, but Davila commits 2nd PF, one and one for clemson –
– Davila out, Raines in –
28-15 – Narcisse misses, clemson rebounds
– clemson misses, Eddie rebounds –
30-15 – Hudson drives and shoots
30-17 – McDaniels with the follow slam
33-17 – Eddie hits a 3 points and is fouled by Narcisse, chance for 4-point play

U4 Score – 33-17 VT

34-17 – Eddie makes the FT to complete the 4-point play
34-19 – clemson scores
– VT with only 4 turnovers so far –
36-19 – Eddie playing lights out, underneath layup
– Rankin steals, but has shot blocked by McDaniels –
– foul on Rankin, his 2nd PF –
36-21 – Young makes 2 FTs
38-21 – Eddie scores, assist to Brown (Eddie with 11 points)
– clemson misses three, gets own rebound –
38-23 – 7-2 kid gets the hoop and the foul
38-24 – 7-2 kid makes the FT to complete the 3-point play
40-24 – Brown feeds DFS for the alley-oop dunk!
40-26 – clemson scores at the other end
42-26 – Eddie gets a rebound off a miss and scores (Eddie with 13 points)
42-28 – clemson scores
– clemson commits foul away from the ball with :03 left –
– VT can’t get a shot off before the buzzer –

Halftime Score – 42-28
Eddie – 13, Green – 9, Rankin – 8, Finney-Smith – 4, Raines – 4, Hudson – 2, Brown – 2

42-30 – clemson hits opening shot of the 2nd half
– Davila misses, gets rebound –
44-30 – DFS puts back a miss (has 6 points)
– Eddie commits 2nd PF on Booker –
44-32 – Booker makes 2 FTs
46-32 – Davila scores in the low post
– clemson misses, but Eddie picks up his 3rd PF –
– clemson misses, out of bounds off VT –
46-35 – Young hits a 3 pointer
49-35 – DFS drains a 3 pointer, has 9 points
49-37 – clemson scores
51-37 – Davila turns and jams it home on the 7-footer
– clemson misses a three, VT rebounds –
– VT called for illegal screen, Davila picks up his 3rd PF –

U16 Score – 51-37

– Raines fouls Booker, Raines’ 2nd PF –
51-39 – Booker makes 2 FTs
– Hudson misses, clemson rebounds –
– clemson misses, VT rebounds –
53-39 – Raines scores with an assist from Eddie
– clemson misses, VT rebounds –
– McDanials blocks his fourth shot of the game, on Green –
– clemson misses three, but gets rebound –
53-41 – McDaniels with a Deron-like dunk
– Hudson misses three pointer –
– Green commits his 3rd PF –
– clemson misses, VT rebounds –
– Brown misses 3 pointer, clemson rebound –
– clemson misses 3 pointer, gets the rebound –
– clemson airballs it, VT rebounds, foul on clemson –
– Green misses 3 pointer, clemson rebound –
– Barksdale commits the foul –

U12 Score – 53-41 VT

– clemson misses 3 pointer, Eddie rebounds for VT –
55-41 – Brown to Raines on the pick and roll
– timeout clemson –
55-43 – Hall scores for clemson
– Eddie misses the 3 pointer, clemson rebounds, but travels –
– VT can’t inbound the ball, calls timeout –
– clemson foul (McDaniels) away from the ball –
– Smith fouls Davila –
57-43 – Davila makes 2 FTs
57-45 – Young score at the other end
– Smith fouls, VT to the FT line –
59-45 – Hudson makes 2 FTs
59-47 – clemson scores
– McDaniels with his 5th blocked shot, still VT ball –
– Eddie misses the 3 pointer, Hudson misses putback –
– clemson foul against DFS –
61-47 – Eddie scores (team-leading 15 points)

U8 Score – 61-47

– clemson misses first FT of a one-and-one –
– clemson foul, Booker’s 2nd, both teams in bonus from here on out –
– clemson steals the ball –
61-50 – Smith hits a 3 pointer
64-50 – DFS drains his second 3 pointer of the game (12 points for Doe Doe)
– VT is a perfect 10/10 from the FT line at this point –
– clemson is 2/17 from 3 point range –
64-52 – clemson scores
– Green airballs a 3 pointer, clemson rebound –
– clemson turns it over, VT ball –
– Hokies called for 10 second violation, clemson ball –

** Radio Broadcast went out at this point **

Clemson apparently on a 7-0 run, cuts VT’s lead in half, from 14 to 7 (3:11 to play)

U4 Score – 64-57

66-57 – VT hits both FTs (perfect on the day)
– clemson misses 3 pointer, Eddie blocks a second attempt –
– 2:30 to play –
– VT misses, clemson rebound –
– 2:00 to play –
66-59 – clemson scores
– 1:40 to play –
– Eddie misses three pointer, clemson rebound –
66-61 – clemson scores on the fast break, McDaniels with 12 points
– 1:12 to play –
– Hudson throws the ball away, clemson ball –
– 1:03 to play –
– clemson misses, McDaniels rams home the miss –
66-63 – McDaniels with the follow slam off the miss (career-high 14 points)
67-63 – Green at the FT line, makes 1/2 FTs (first missed FT of the game for VT)
– Hokies with just one FG in the last 8 minutes –
67-65 – clemson scores
– timeout Hokies –
– :26.4 left to play –
– clemson on a 15-2 run in last 4 minutes –
– clemson fouls Davila –
67-65 – Davila missed the front end of a 1-and-1
– clemson rebounds Davila’s miss –
– :11 left to play –
– Eddie commits the foul and fouls out –
67-65 – McDaniels at the FT line, missed the first
– McDaniels missed the second FT on purpose, clemson gets the rebound and misses a shot at the buzzer, Hokies hold on to win –

Final Score – Hokies 67, clemson 65

Popularity: 14% [?]

Box Score

Fresh off a vote of confidence from Virginia Tech Athletics Director Jim Weaver, Seth Greenberg and his struggling Hokies hosted fifth-ranked duke Thursday night in front of a national TV audience. The game presented a wonderful opportunity for this talented, but young team to turn its season around.

But duke had too much depth, experience and talent for the Hokies to hang for a full 40 minutes. As a result, the Hokies lost for the seventh time in their last eight games, 75-60, at home to duke.

As usual, junior guard Erick Green led the Hokies with 17 points, while Victor Davila played a solid game and added 16 points. Marquis Rankin was Tech’s third-leading scorer, but he scored all 8 of his points in the final minutes, at which point the game was well in hand for the dookies.

Statistically speaking, the game came down to three-pointers, rebounding, and turnovers. And the blue devils outrebounded the Hokies 31-26, hit more threes (8/18) than the Hokies (3/13), and committed fewer turnovers (7) than did Tech (13).

Tech trailed the entire game, save for a 21-21 tie with less than 8 minutes to play in the first half. After Dorenzo Hudson hit a pair of free throws to tie the game, duke got away with an apparent shot clock violation on the next possession and got credit for the basket. From there, they went on a 17-4 run to take a 13-point lead.

The Hokies stole a little of that momentum with Green’s buzzer-beating three to cut duke’s lead to 10 at the break.

The second half was all duke as it stretched its lead to 22 points and cruised from there. Tech got absolutely owned on the boards in the second half. The blue devils didn’t even really need an outside shot (though they seemed to his everything) because they had free range in the lane.

Poor Doe Doe (Dorian Finney-Smith) struggled again, but he did manage to come up with a couple of big blocks, so hopefully he can build on that. At least he’s still getting quality minutes, but you hope that it’s not going to damage his confidence.

I finally figured out what’s missing with this team… JT Thompson. His fire and intensity is what’s missing from this team. Even if he were healthy, he may not be enough to beat a team like duke or unc, but he would certainly be enough of a spark and talent to help win games against bc, wake and georgia tech.

Next up for the Hokies is clemson on Saturday at 4 p.m.

Below is my stream of consciousness during the game. Accuracy not guaranteed.

– Doe Doe misses twice –
– Good defense by Green, forces turnover –
– DFS steps on baseline –
– DFS commits foul –
– Moving screen on Davila –
2-0 duke – Plumlee wide open underneath for the easy dunk
– duke foul, non shooting –
2-2 Eddie hits the pullup jumper
– duke foul, non shooting –
– Rankin misses, duke rebound –
5-2 duke 3-pointer
– Green misses jumper —
7-2 Plumlee easy hook over Davila
7-4 Davila works hard for the bucket underneath

Under 16 media timeout – 7-4

– DFS commits foul, his second —
9-4 Kelly hits 2 FTs
9-6 Eddie drives and dishes to Raines for the layup
– Green steals, but can’t get the layup –
– duke foul after great effort by Hokies —
9-8 Hudson with the crazy fall-away jumper of the inbounds pass
– Hokies called for blocking call, clearly looked like a charge —
11-8 Curry hits 2 FTs
11-10 Raines with some nifty double move underneath for the bucket
– Plumlee misses badly –
– Blocking call against duke, kinda surprised we got that consider it’s duke –
– Hokies turn it over and Dawkins celebrates like it’s the national title
14-10 duke’s Dawkins gets called for a technical foul for taunting

Under 12 media timeout – 14-10

14-12 Green makes two Technical FTs
– Stupid foul by duke’s Plumlee, his second –
14-13 Davila makes 1/2 FTs
16-13 Rivers drives empty lane for layup
16-15 Davila picks up rebound off Eddie’s miss, puts it back up for the bucket
18-15 duke scores
– Hokies turn it over, but duke gives it right back –
18-17 Davila backs down Plumlee, knocks him down (he flopped) and Davile DUNKS IT!
– duke misses three, VT rebounds –
– Eddie misses three, duke rebounds –
– duke misses, VT rebounds –
– Eddie misses, duke rebounds –
21-17 Curry buries a wide open three
21-19 Green drives the lane for the layup
– Kelly called for a foul –

Under 8 media timeout – 21-19

– Ranking comes in at PG –
– Hudson called for foul away from the ball –
– Hudson fouled in the act of shooting –
21-21 Hudson makes 2 FTs
23-21 duke gets away with a walk, plus shot clock expired
– Hokies turn it over –
– Foul on Raines –
25-21 Kelly dunks it
– Green misses three –
27-21 Kelly goes down the lane untouched
– Thorton picks up 2nd PF –
27-23 Green hits 2 FTs
29-23 duke scores down the lane … again (8-2 run)
– Rankin misses –
32-23 Kelly hits the three pointer
– Eddie misses –
34-23 Dawkins make another easy bucket in the lane
34-25 Davila cleans up Brown’s miss with a beautiful bucket

Under 4 media timeout – 34-25

36-25 Plumlee makes 2 FTs
– Raines misses hook shot –
– Brown commits foul –
– Jump ball, possession to duke –
– Duke on 15-4 run –
– Green bad pass, turns it over –
38-25 duke did something amazing
– DFS turns it over again, VT’s 8th turnover —
38-28 Green hits a three-pointer at the buzzer!

Halftime score – 38-28

40-28 – duke opens the scoring
40-30 Davila makes 2 FTs
42-30 Reverse layup
– Foul on Hairston, his second –
42-32 Davila with a two-handed slam
45-32 Rives buries a three, quiets the crowd
45-34 Hudson hits a jumper off the screen, top of the key
– Green called for a handcheck –
– Kelly called for offensive foul –
– Hudson called for a moving screen –
– VT with near steal, jump ball called –
47-34 Curry driving layup
– VT sloppy pass, turns it over -
49-34 Duke fast break dunk
– Rankin fouled by Kelly –
49-35 Rankin makes 1/2 FTs
51-35 Plumlee misses twice, third time a charm, VT getting owned on the boards
51-38 Brown buries a three from the top of the key

Under 16 media timeout – 51-38

– Raines called for his 3rd PF –
– Brown called for the PF –
52-38 Kelly makes 1/2 FTs –
– Brown misses –
– duke turns it over, bad pass –
– Barksdale in the game –
– Plumlee called for reach-in foul –
52-40 Green hits a tough jumper with defender in his face off the dribble
55-40 Rivers buries a deep three
– VT misses, duke rebounds –
57-40 Cook to Plumlee dunk
59-40 duke on 7-0 run
– VT misses, duke rebounds –
62-40 Kelly drains a three, 12-0 run
– VT turns it over –
– God, just make this end –
62-42 Green with the floater
– Kelly picks up 4th PF –
62-43 Davila makes 1/2 FTs
64-43 Rivers to Hairston for the alleyoop dunk
64-45 Green with the circus shot, he has 15 points
– Brown misses dunk –
66-45 Hairston gets the hoop and the harm (DFS with the foul), misses FT
66-47 Eddie with the baseline jumper
66-49 Green drives untouched for the layup (17 points)
66-51 Davila gets a rebound off DFS missed three, puts it back
– DFS with two blocks, YAY! –
– Brown with the steal, but Green got fouled, but no call, out of bounds on VT –

Under 8 media timeout – 66-61

68-51 Curry hits 2 FTs
– Brown with the foul –
70-51 Curry hits 2 FTs
– duke steals it from Davila –
– Green travels, turnover VT –
70-54 Rankin hits a three
70-56 Eddie with a fast break jumper in the lane
72-56 Thorton hits 2 FTs
72-58 Rankin gets the bucket
75-58 Why the hell is duke shooting three pointers up 14 with 1:35 to play?
– Davila airballs a hook shot –
– Duke misses another three pointer attempt, why are they shooting threes? –
75-60 Rankin with another jumper

Final Score – duke 75, Hokies 60

Popularity: 18% [?]

Tell me if you’ve heard this one before… the Hokies got off to a painfully slow start and fell behind early, but played just-good-enough defense to keep it somewhat close. Then, in the second half, they more than doubled their first half scoring and made a game of it, but committed one-to-many turnovers and fouls to be able to pull off the road win.

Virginia Tech lost to the terps 73-69 after scoring just 19 first-half points. The terps’ Terrell Stoglin led all scores with a blistering 28 points. Erick Green paced the Hokies with 18. Victor Davila and Dorenzo Hudson both had 14 and Jarrell Eddie added 11 points.

Cadarian Raines made his first career start, but managed just 4 points. Dorian Finney-Smith continued to struggle in ACC play failing to get a field goal in yet another game. He scored one point and looked lost while taking some bad shots. He’s looking like a freshman, but I can’t imagine he’ll struggle this mightily for the entire season.

Freshmen Robert Brown and Marquis Rankin played pretty well… for the most part. Tech had cut the terps lead down to 5, 63-58 in the final minute and change, and forced maryland to take a bad three point attempt as the shot clock wound down. But Brown fouled Sean Mosley’s three point attempt with the shot clock at zero and Mosley made the Hokies pay by making all three free throws to put the terps’ lead back to 8.

Tech didn’t give up, though. The terps inexplicably seemed to just give the Hokies points in the final minute. Green had a pair of easy layups and fed a wide-open Davila for an easy dunk to keep the Hokies in the game.

Brown atoned, somewhat, for his egregious foul by burying a three pointer with :03.6 seconds left to cut the maryland lead to just two, 71-69. Tech immediately fouled Stoglin on the inbounds pass, but he made both free throws to put the game away.

The Hokies shot just 24 percent in the first half and as has been so often the case this season, it was their undoing. After managing just 19 points in the first 20 minutes, Tech dropped 50 on the terps in the second half.

Niemo can speak more intelligently to the Greenberg’s alternating between the zone and man-to-man defense, but whatever they were doing, it didn’t stop Stoglin. That kid was in the zone and made some crazy shots, even when he was well-guarded.

Look, this is a tough loss, and the first half was just plain awful, but I have to say that I’m somewhat encouraged by the play of Rankin and Brown.

Rankin had a key steal in the second half where he literally just took the ball away with both hands and immediately passed it a streaking Green for the easy bucket. A few plays later, Rankin drove the lane from the right and drew the double team and fed Raines for the bucket.

The one thing I haven’t seen much of from this team is a high level of intensity and emotion that we’ve seen from previous teams. They play hard and they didn’t quit today, but where’s the floor-slapping and chest bumping? This team is subdued and I think it drives the fans and even the coaches a little crazy.

Looking ahead is pretty gloomy. They have duke and clemson at home before hitting the road against the canes. Then back home to face the eagles, at fsu, home against ga tech and uva, at duke and clemson, and back home to wrap up the regular season against nc state. Ouch. I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t see many wins in there. Maybe bc and gt? I don’t see the hoos losing to us twice.

Tech returns home to take on the dookies next Thursday, Feb. 2, at 7 p.m.

Play by Play
accuracy not guaranteed

– Raines made his first career start –
5-0 maryland to start the game
Hokies missed first 2 shots
5-2 Green jumper off the screen
8-2 Mosely 3pter

Under 16 – 8-2

8-5 – Erick Green 3 ptr (all 5 points)
– Doe Doe missed badly –
11-5 – Mosley 3 ptr
11-6 – Doe Doe fouled, makes 1/2 FTs
13-6 – 2 MD FTs
– MD in man-to-man defense –
13-9 – Green with another 3ptr
16-9 – Howard 3ptr
16-11 – Zo jumper in the lane from Barksdale

Under 12 – 16-11

18-11 – 2 MD FTs
20-11 – inside post move
22-11 – stoglin driving bucket
24-11 – panky dunks
– 8-0 terps run –
24-13 – raines with the rebound and putback

Under 8 – 24-13

24-15 – Davila rejected, but gets rebound and puts it back up and in
– Jarrell Eddie picks up 2nd foul on Stoglin while attempting a 3 ptr –
25-15 – Stoglin makes 1/3 FTs
26-15 – Len makes 1/2 FTs
26-17 – Davila makes 2 FTs
– Davila nice move but blows the easy layup –
28-17 – Stoglin fast break off Green’s missed three

Under 4 – 28-17

28-19 – Jarrell Eddie makes 2 FTS
– Hokies missed 2-on-1 break layup –
30-19 – Len dunk
– Hokies shooting 25% –
32-19 – Stoglin hits a jumper
– Hokies have gone nearly 5 minutes without making a FG –
– Hudson misses front end of 1-and-1 –
– Stoglin fouls Rankin –
– Rankin misses front end of 1-and-1 –
– VT 2 of last 14 –
– VT shot 24 percent in the first half –

Halftime score – 32-19

– Hudson starts 2nd half, misses –
34-19 – Stoglin
34-21 – Davila one-handed dunk after Green misses a runner
– Davila misses hook –
– MD turnover, walk –
– Eddie misses –
– Hudson airballs a floater –
– Davila has hands of stone, couldn’t catch a cold –
– Green misses –
36-21 – Faust finishes fast break
36-24 – Hudson hits a three pointer
– MD turnover –

Under 16 – 36-24

36-27 – Hudson buries a three from the corner
– Hokies cut lead to single digits –
36-29 – Robert Brown with the steal and the dunk
– MD timeout, has four TOs in the 2nd half –
38-29 – Pageant scores
38-32 – Hudson with the hoops and the harm, converts the three-point play
– Hudson has 9 points in 2-1/2 minutes –
40-32 – Mosley scores for MD
40-34 – Davila works the low post and scores (8 points)
43-34 – Stoglin hits a three pointer
– Hokies turn it over –
46-34 – Stoglin hits another three pointer
46-37 – Eddie buries a three pointer (his first FG of the game)
48-37 – Mosley jumper
– Turnover by the Hokies –

Under 12 – 48-37

50-37 – MD two
50-40 – Eddie makes the layup and is fouled, makes the FT
50-42 – Rankin steals it, passes to Erick Green for the fast-break layup
– MD turnover, but VT can’t convert, Green missed —
51-42 – MD makes 1/2 FTs
– Green drive, feeds Eddie who is fouled going to the hoop –
51-44 – Eddie makes 2 FTs
54-44 – Stoglin hits contested 3 pointer
54-46 – Ranking drives, dishes to Raines down low for the layup
– Weiss picked up 2nd PF –

Under 8 – 54-46

– Stoglin throws it away –
– DFS walks —
56-46 – Pageant scores inside over Eddie
– Turnover by VT –
– VT fouls Stoglin hard, Eddie hurts his elbow, picks up 3rd PF –
58-46 – Stoglin makes 2 FTs
58-48 – Hudson misses, but Rankin skies for the one-handed putback
– Like what we’re seeing from Rankin –
60-48 – Pankey makes 2 FTs
– Eddie fakes a three, passes inside the Davila who is fouled –
60-50 – Davila makes 2 FTs (10 points for VD)
– Green taking some quick, bad shots –
– Rankin foul on the Green miss –

Under 4 – 60-50

60-52 – Hudson makes 2 FTs
– Hudson gets stuffed on a layup –
60-53 – Hudson makes 1/2 FTs after technical foul against MD’s Mosley
60-55 – Green does right down the lane for easy bucket
63-55 – Stoglin step back 3 pointer (has four so far)
– Faust misses front end of a 1-and-1, Hokies get rebound –
63-57 – Green feeds Davila for the layup (Davila has 12)
– Hudson gets called for a blocking foul, but it looked like a charge –
– Faust misses front end of 1-and-1, Mosley gets the rebound, but called for off foul –
63-58 – Eddies makes 1/2 FTs (has 11 points)
– Jump ball, :03 left on shot clock –
– Brown commits foul on a 3 point attempt –
66-58 – Mosley hits all three FTs
– Stoglin commits offensive foul –
66-60 – Green easy layup
– Brown foul on inbound pass –
– terps miss both FTs –
66-62 – Green with another easy layup (:26 left)
68-62 – Mosley makes 2 FTs
68-64 – Green feeds Davila for the dunk (Davila has 14)
69-64 – Stoglin hits 1/2 FTs (:17 left)
69-66 – Green with a tough layup
71-66 – Howard makes 2 FTs (:10 left)
– Timeout maryland –
71-69 – Brown hits a three pointer (:03.6 left)
73-69 – Stoglin makes 2 FTs

Final Score: terps 73, Hokies 69

Popularity: 18% [?]

For at least a half, the Virginia Tech Hokies didn’t look like the only winless team in the ACC. The Hokies hosted No. 8 unc at the Cassell Coliseum Thursday night and used some hot three-point shooting to take a surprising 39-34 lead into the half.

But the tar heels, still reeling from their embarrassing road loss to fsu – the worst loss ever by unc under Roy Williams, came out in the second half a much different team than a packed Cassell Coliseum saw in the first half.

The second half started off pretty good for Tech with Victor Davila’s spin move to open the scoring and give the Hokies a 41-34 lead. unc answered but Green’s three from the top of the key gave Tech it’s largest lead of the game, 44-36. And then the wheels came off.

Tech’s hot shooting cooled off, unc’s defense tightened up and it was all downhill from there. The heels used an early 19-0 second-half run and never looked back on their way to the 82-68 win. Harrison Barnes led all scores with 27 points.

On the plus side, junior guard Erick Green extended his ACC-leading streak of scoring at least 10 points to 19 straight games. He had 17 points to lead the Hokies, 10 of which came in the first half. Jarrell Eddie scored 15 while Robert Brown added 12.

Meanwhile, struggling senior guard Dorenzo Hudson came off the bench for the first time all season and he played lights out… in the first half. Zo was a perfect 5/5 from the field in the first half, including 4/4 from three-point range and 2/2 at the free throw line. He led the Hokies with 16 points in the first half, but disappeared in the second posting a big zero.

The Hokies got off to their traditional slow start, but also held unc in check to keep it close. Trailing 4-1 four minutes into the game, Green got the Hokies’ first field goal with a three-pointer that tied the game. The heels pulled ahead slightly and held a 17-12 lead before the Hokies exploded for a quick 8-0 run to take their first lead of the game, 20-17.

From there, the Hokies started raining threes. Brown’s three gave the Hokies a 27-23 lead. Eddie’s trey made it 30-26. Hudson’s triple kept the Hokies in front 33-28. Immediately after that three, Green stole a unc pass, fed Hudson who laid it in at the other end for a 35-28 lead, Tech’s largest of the half.

Brown added a baseline floater and Green buried his second three of the half to cap VT’s first-half scoring. In all, the Hokies hit 8/16 three pointers in the first half and that was the difference. The tar heels did steal the momentum going into the break with an inbound pass and dunk with .9 seconds left.

As we said, the second half was all tar heels.

With the loss, Tech’s fourth straight, the Hokies fall to 0-4 in the ACC and 11-7 overall. They play at No. 16 uva on Sunday at 6 p.m.

SCORES AT THE MEDIA TIMEOUTS:

1st Half:

• U16: unc 8-4
• U12: unc 15-12
• U8: VT 24-23
• U4: VT 35-30

HALF: VT 39-34

2nd Half:

• U16: unc 53-44
• U12: unc 58-46
• U8: unc 67-49
• U4: unc 78-61

FINAL unc 82-68

Popularity: 16% [?]