With under seven minutes to play, Virginia Tech looked like it was ready to slam the door shut. Jailen Bedford’s layup gave the Hokies a 13-point cushion, the crowd at Cassell Coliseum was rocking, and the momentum was squarely on their side.
But then, the offense hit a wall. That layup would be Virginia Tech’s final field goal of the night.
What followed was a tense, grind-it-out finish as Georgia Tech clawed its way back into the game. The Yellow Jackets trimmed the lead to just two with 19 seconds left, turning what looked like a comfortable win into a pressure-cooker. But credit to the Hokies-they hit their free throws when it mattered and got the stops they needed to escape with a 71-65 win.
Ben Hammond: The Steady Hand
Once again, Ben Hammond proved to be the heartbeat of this Virginia Tech team. On a night when the offense struggled to find rhythm-shooting just 34% from the field-it was Hammond who stepped forward with poise and production.
The sophomore guard dropped 20 points on 50% shooting, including a sharp 3-of-5 performance from deep. He added 3 rebounds and 3 assists, but more importantly, he brought a sense of control when the game started to unravel.
Christian Gurdak also gave the Hokies a much-needed boost with an ultra-efficient night-11 points and 7 boards on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting. Bedford added 16 points and 4 assists, though he had to work hard for his buckets, finishing 5-of-14 from the floor.
Tobi Lawal chipped in 10 points and 5 rebounds, plus a couple of highlight-reel plays that brought the Cassell crowd to its feet. Neoklis Avdalas and Amani Hansberry filled out the stat sheet-combining for 14 points and 11 rebounds-but both continued to struggle with their shooting touch.
Georgia Tech’s Hot Start, Cold Finish
The Yellow Jackets came out swinging. Cam Kraft opened the game with a personal 9-0 run, drilling three straight triples to put Virginia Tech on its heels early.
But after that red-hot start, Georgia Tech’s outside shooting completely vanished. The Jackets went 0-for-14 from three the rest of the way, unable to recapture the spark that had them flying out of the gate.
Despite the cold perimeter shooting, Georgia Tech stayed in the game by attacking the paint and winning the battle on the boards. Jaedan Mustaf led the way with 16 points and 11 rebounds-recording the game’s only double-double.
Baye Ndongo was a force down low with 11 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks, while Lamar Washington delivered a balanced line of 12 points, 5 boards, and 5 assists. Kowacie Reeves added 8 points, most of them coming in the second half as the Jackets mounted their late push.
The Numbers Behind the Win
Here’s where the box score tells the real story. Georgia Tech actually outshot Virginia Tech from the field, 44% to 34%, and edged them on the glass, 38-36.
Usually, that’s a recipe for a road win. But the Hokies made up the difference in two key areas: turnovers and free throws.
Virginia Tech turned 14 Georgia Tech giveaways into 20 points. That’s the kind of opportunistic defense that can swing a game, especially when your own offense is sputtering. On the flip side, the Hokies only coughed it up 8 times, leading to just 7 points for the Jackets.
Then there’s the free throw line. Virginia Tech went 19-of-26 from the stripe, while Georgia Tech finished 12-of-17.
That +7 margin in makes ended up being the final margin on the scoreboard. In a game where every possession mattered, the Hokies simply capitalized on theirs more effectively.
What’s Next
This was a big one for Virginia Tech-not just to bounce back after some recent struggles, but to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive. Now sitting at 16-6 overall and 5-4 in ACC play, the Hokies are in the thick of the conference race.
But the road gets tougher from here. Next up?
A noon showdown at home against #4 Duke, easily the toughest remaining game on their schedule.
As for Georgia Tech, the loss drops them to 11-10 (2-6 ACC), and they’ll try to regroup before hosting #16 North Carolina in Atlanta. The Jackets have shown flashes, but consistency-particularly from beyond the arc-remains elusive.
For Virginia Tech, this wasn’t a pretty win. But in late January, style points don’t matter. Survive and advance-that’s the name of the game.