Virginia Tech vs Virginia Recap

Virginia Tech 61, Virginia 55

The Virginia Cavaliers established the tempo they wanted on Saturday night in Blacksburg, Va., but the Virginia Tech Hokies - who like their basketball fast-paced instead of slow - were able to prevail in spite of their opponent's manipulation of speed and style.

In yet one more indication of a mature ballclub, the same Virginia Tech program that lost so many close contests over the past two years is now pulling fistfights out of the fire. Another white-knuckler turned in the direction of the hard-working Hokies, who were subjected to Virginia's grinding methods but found the flinty fortitude needed to prevail on their home court at Cassell Coliseum. By remaining unbeaten this season at home, Coach Seth Greenberg's Tech team proved that it can tough out the back-alley brawls of a balanced Atlantic Coast Conference. Another display of late-game manhood has the Hokies poised to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007.

The head Hokie hero on this night at the place they call "The Cassell" was forward Jeff Allen. A foul-prone and eternally inconsistent athlete, Allen - who picked up two very quick fouls on Saturday and sat for most of the first half - summoned up something special when his team needed it the most.

Virginia coach Tony Bennett got the kind of game he was hoping for in this Saturday slugfest; the former Washington State boss turned this game into a teasing and taxing test of patience, a grueling grudge match in which every small space of real estate was precious, every screen and cut a matter of immense importance. Despite the fact that UVA shot only 32 percent from the field, the Cavaliers took a 51-48 lead into the final two minutes of regulation because they were able to hold down everyone on the Tech roster, including the Hokies' meal-ticket scorer, junior guard Malcolm Delaney (13 points on 4-of-16 shooting). Tech fans - who have been cheering on a squad with absolutely no distinctive achievements in the non-conference portion of its season schedule - had a right to be nervous, because anything less than a 9-7 ACC record will leave this team in trouble come Selection Sunday. The Hokies needed to sweep their in-state rival from Charlottesville, and they only had two minutes to do something about it.

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That's when Allen entered the fray, defining the evening with two plays that made "The Cassell" a madhouse.

With 1:51 left, Allen created an old-fashioned 3-point play to knot the game up at 51-apiece. After a Virginia miss, the 6-7 junior from Washington, D.C., drained what was only his fourth 3-point shot of the season, a dagger from the right wing which gave the Hokies a 54-51 edge with 1:14 left.

Allen wasn't done.

On the next Cavalier possession, Virginia snagged an offensive rebound off a miss, only to then see Allen steal the ball from UVA guard Sammy Zeglinski with 45 seconds remaining. The play produced a pair of foul shots by Tech's J.T. Thompson, and with a 56-51 cushion, the homestanding Hokies were never threatened again.

Jeff Allen stayed in the shadows for most of a frustrating and physical game, but when winning time arrived, Virginia Tech found a hardwood hero en route to yet another close-shave victory.

The past two seasons left Virginia Tech fans in tears. Thanks to Jeff Allen and the rest of a resolute roster, this season's turning a lot of frowns upside down in the home of the Hokies.

By: Matt Zemek
ACC Fans Staff Writer