Virginia Tech's Mike Young thrilled his team executed his plan to perfection vs. Virginia

When the Virginia Tech men's basketball team played the first of two games against Virginia last month in Charlottesville, it was a forgettable night in the post for Mike Young and his team. In the rematch Monday night at Cassell Coliseum, the veteran Hokies coach was determined to flip the script on his in-state rivals.

In the first game which Virginia won, 65-57, the Cavaliers inside play of Jordan Minor and Blake Buchanan dominated the Hokies and mainly Lynn Kidd and Mylyjael Poteat to the tune of 24-4. Minor scored 16 points and Buchanan added eight, while Kidd and Poteat combined for four points, two each. In fact, Kidd and Poteat combined to shoot six shots and each made one. Not a recipe for succes for Virginia Tech.

That all changed in the rematch as it was evident from the opening tip where Young and his staff wanted to go and go early, inside. Kidd scored the first basket on a turnaround, then got to the free throw line to make a pair of shots, and the tone was set.

"I jumped up and down and communicated it anyway I could,'' said Young. "It was one of the last things I said going into the game. Buchanan is going to be a really good player in our league and Minor has really added a lift to their team, but we have to win that matchup, it can't be a toss-up, we have to win that match (up). I thought Lynn and Mylyjael were quick around the basket. Great interior passing by everyone, Robbie (Beran) included. We had to win that match (up) and we did.''

They not only won it, they dominated it. Kidd finished with 14 points and scored 12 of those in the first half and eight during a 20-2 Virginia Tech run that opened up a 36-16 halftime lead. Poteat finished with 11 points and what makes it even more impressive of a performance from the Hokies inside duo was that they combined to shoot 10-for-12 with Kidd going perfect in five field goal attempts. He was also perfect on all four of his free throws as well.

Message sent before the game by Young and his coaching staff and it was received by his team as they dominated one area where they were dominated in the first game and ended up with a much different result.