Virginia Tech Basketball: Mike Young not happy after South Carolina loss

It’s only November, but the Virginia Tech men’s basketball team suffered their first loss of the 2023-24 season and it was a frustrating one. The Hokies’ defense looked like the same group that ended last season by failing to get stops when needed in a 79-77 loss to South Carolina in Charlotte in the 2023 Hall of Fame Series at the Spectrum Center.

The Gamecocks were picked at the beginning of the season to finish 14th and in last place in the SEC preseason poll, but they got hot from behind the 3-point arc in the first half, they turned up their defensive pressure and forced a jump-ball with two seconds left and leading by two. Following the game, Hokies coach Mike Young was not happy with his team.

Virginia Tech coach Mike Young frustrated after South Carolina loss

Young spoke with the media and the Hokies coach was less than thrilled with the result, to say the least.

"“I didn’t think our rhythm was not very good. I thought we were pushed up the floor quite a bit. Our stuff, what we doing offensively was not sharp enough. That coupled with poor shot selection can lead to what you saw and going down seven (points). (It’s) November 10, we have a long way to go. I knew it, I thought we’d played better, I thought we’d find a way to win. Today we didn’t. (South Carolina coach) Lamont’s (Paris) team played better than our team. We’ll get better as we move along.”"

Yes, the shot selection was not good, but some of that had to do with South Carolina and their defense. They held Virginia Tech scoreless for 6:30 midway through the first half and turned a five-point deficit into a seven-point lead. They forced the Hokies into tough shots, going 2-for-14 from 3-point land, and rebounded very well.

The offense came alive in the second half, mainly guard Sean Pedulla who had 22 points in the final half, but it was not enough as in the end, defensively, Virginia Tech just could not get stops when needed. Back to the drawing board for Young and his team, but this is a loss that can’t happen against a Power 5 team picked to finish at the bottom of their conference.