Entering Saturday's ACC game at Cassell Coliseum against Virginia, the Virginia Tech men's basketball team had a chance to do something special in 2024-25. After beating the Cavaliers on their home floor two weeks ago, the Hokies were looking for a season sweep in the Commonwealth Clash.
The odds were in their favor as Virginia last won in Blacksburg in 2020, but the Cavaliers were not going to be denied a season split. Isaac McKneely scored 22 points, including some very tough 3-pointers in the second half with some dagger shots, and Virginia survived a late Tech rally for a three-point win. Here are two truths and a lie after the Hokies fell to 11-14 overall and 6-8 in the ACC.
Truth: Virginia won the hustle battles
When Virginia Tech won two weeks ago in Charlottesville, the Hokies won all the hustle battles. Saturday, the Cavaliers flipped the script on Tech and won those battles at Cassell. It was in both halves where time after time they won some of the small battles that turned out to be the difference.
That was never more evident than in the second half when a missed 3-pointer from Virginia was tapped out for an offensive rebound where McKneely buried a 3-pointer for a 59-50 lead. Coaches always say that the best time to shoot a 3-pointer is off an offensive rebound. All of those battles over the course of a game add up in the end.
Truth: Virginia had an answer for every Virginia Tech run
In the first half, Virginia's offense was flowing real smoothly. They were forcing the Hokies to chase them all over the place, and running off screens with a purpose. Their shots were within rhythm and they finsihed what felt like everything. The Hokies cut the deficit to 37-33 late in the opening half, but a 3-pointer at the buzzer gave UVA a seven-point halftime lead.
In the second half, Virginia Tech made one last push in the last 10 minutes, but every time they clawed with a possession of Virginia, the Cavaliers made a big shot. McKneely made a lot of those shots, but against Notre Dame a week ago, the Hokies were able to rally by getting stops late in the game. That wasn't the case against Virginia, thanks in large part to McKneely.
Lie: Virginia Tech should be happy with a regular season split
As bad as things were at the beginning of the year, who thought that this game on Feb. 15 would be for a Virginia Tech season sweep? Not many. Things have turned around big time for the Hokies since the first of the year and that included the win at Virginia two weeks ago. However, since that game, the Cavaliers have been playing their best basketball of the season with road wins at Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech and a home win over Georgia Tech.
A season sweep would have been some serious momentum for Mike Young's team over the final month of the regular season.