Virginia Cavaliers @ Virginia Tech Hokies Basketball Recap

Virginia 57, Virginia Tech 54

Remember what Yogi Berra said about playing the outfield at old Yankee Stadium during the World Series in October? “It gets late early out there.” Well, it’s getting late very early for the Virginia Tech men’s basketball team. Meanwhile, the rival Virginia Cavaliers are loving the way life is unfolding at the present moment.

Virginia gained another significant road win at Virginia Tech to open the ACC conference schedule in an early in-state rivalry showdown. Two teams in the same state are traveling in diametrically opposed directions after this upset in Blacksburg. The Cavs are cruising, while the stunned Hokies have absorbed back-to-back losses and are already in grave danger of failing to make the NCAA Tournament. It really is getting late in the early months of the season for a program that expected to do better this time around.

Coach Tony Bennett’s Cavaliers were already flying high from their last game, a surprising upset win at No. 15 Minnesota; this game ended an early season six-game road trip for Virginia before an eight-game homestand, a batch of home cooking that’s looking even more tasty now that the Cavs have accumulated a pair of high-value scalps. Virginia was a pre-season pick to finish near the bottom of the ACC, while Virginia Tech was voted in the top three by the press. However, you never would have known as much by watching this contest at Cassell Coliseum

Virginia led 36-24 at intermission, after stretching the lead to as many as 16 shortly before the break. Forward Mike Scott had 13 points and 7 rebounds to pace Virginia. Mustapha Farrakhan and K.T. Harrell had 7 points. The Cavaliers shot 56 percent from the field in the first half. The Hokies’ hit 41 percent of their shots, as star guard Malcolm Delaney had 14 of their 24 points. Only three other Virginia Tech players scored in the first half.

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It was reported that the Hokies’ head coach Seth Greenburg was from suffering from flu symptoms before the game, and he appeared to be in distress on the sideline in the first half. Virginia Tech fought constantly through the second half, climbing within two points with 20 seconds remaining, but the Hokies never got over the hump. Tech failed to apply enough game pressure to the Cavaliers, who held on at the very end of the game thanks in large part to a terrible intentional foul by forward Jeff Allen with 18 seconds left and UVA clinging to a 53-51 lead that soon swelled to 57-51 because of Allen’s blunder.

Mike Scott led the Cavaliers with 21 points and 13 rebounds, followed by Joe Harris with 10 points, and Mustapha Farrakhan with 9 points, 5 points and 5 assists.

Delaney had 26 points for Tech, and Allen had 12 points and 9 rebounds for the devastated Hokies.

Tony Bennett has done an exceptional job coaching his young squad to this point in the young season; Blacksburg is not an easy place for any opponent in the ACC to win, and now, as a reward for Virginia’s road-warrior ways, the Cavs can make hay at home and build an NCAA-worthy profile.

Virginia Tech’s prospects aren’t looking nearly as good. Seth Greenberg’s job just might be in trouble if things don’t turn around very quickly in Blacksburg.

By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer