It's hard to believe, but the Virginia Tech men's basketball team is about to close out the non-conference portion of its 2025-26 schedule on Saturday afternoon. Sitting at 10-2, the Hokies have rebounded from a pair of losses over Thanksgiving Weekend against Saint Mary's and VCU with wins over South Carolina, George Mason, Western Carolina, and Maryland Eastern Shore.
Elon comes to Blacksburg on Saturday afternoon to close out the non-conference slate for Mike Young's team, and it has already been a successful season compared to this time last season. In the last game before the Christmas Break last December, Virginia Tech was blown out by Saint Joseph's in Philadelphia. They were 5-6 in their non-conference games. This year has been totally different for Tech.
How to Watch Elon at Virginia Tech men's basketball
This is an interesting matchup for the Hokies as the Phoenix enter the game on a three-game winning streak. They have beaten Wofford, Northern Illinois, and Richmond in those three games. They beat the Spiders, 73-70, on Wednesday night.
As far as Virginia Tech goes, this needs to be a win and an impressive one. It has been six days since the Hokies rolled over Maryland Eastern Shore for their 10th win, but they were banged up. Young is hoping the six days off will help heal some injuries. We do know that Tobi Lawal is not coming back anytime soon, as he continues to recover from his injury he suffered last month. Virginia Tech is right in taking the cautious approach.
West Virginia transfer Amani Hansberry has been big in Lawal's absence, as has been freshman Neoklis Avdalas, who has scored the ball and found teammates for open shots. Off the bench, Jaden Schutt has shot the ball very well, hitting at least one 3-pointer in all 12 games so far this season.
After 11 days off, Virginia Tech will kick off ACC play at home on New Year's Eve afternoon in the first of two Commonwealth Clashes with Virginia.