The Virginia Tech fans had fans on the edge of their seats again on Saturday evening at Cassell Coliseum. Just three days after shockingly blowing a late double-digit lead against Stanford, the Hokies were in the same position again, but the result was much different this time, as they held on for a 78-75 win over California.
The Golden Bears led for much of the game. When the Hokies would close in on the lead, Cal would pull away, but Tech would keep it within six points. Early in the game, it looked
like California may rout VT, going on a 19-2 run to take an 11-point lead, but the Hokies would close that deficit quickly as the teams were tied 37-37 at halftime.
The Bears went on an early second-half run, jumping ahead 45-40, but the Hokies tied it. Over the next several minutes, Cal would pull ahead, but the Hokies would trim it to one possession. Finally, with 3:52 remaining, freshman center Christian Gurdak’s layup gave Virginia Tech a 68-67 lead. They maintained that lead over the final minutes, but it wasn’t easy.
Some mistakes in the final minute worried Hokie fans, especially when California stole the ball from Ben Hammond with 43 seconds left. Virginia Tech gets a critical stop, but Cal gets two offensive rebounds before Amani Hansberry comes down with the rebound. He was fouled, made both free throws, and the Hokies held a 76-73 advantage with 15 seconds left. Former Virginia Tech forward John Camden made two free throws on the other end, making it a 1-point game with eight seconds remaining.
Virginia Tech guard Jaden Schutt was fouled on the inbounds pass, but missed one of his two free throws, giving the Golden Bears another chance to tie or win the game with six seconds left. However, on the inbounds pass, Dai Dai Ames passes it to Camden, who quickly throws it back, but Ames moved from the spot, and the ball went out of bounds. The Hokies would have another chance to end it at the free-throw line with three seconds left.
Jailen Bedford makes only one of two. It was a 3-point game. Camden made an excellent inbounds pass all the way across the court, as Cal catches it and flips it to open Justin Pippen. He missed it. The play was perfectly executed, and Pippen had an open look.
Crisis averted.
The Hokies could not lose this game. The win improved Virginia Tech to 13-4 and 2-2 in ACC play. The win matched Tech’s win total from one year ago with two months to go in the regular season.
Virginia Tech’s strategy in the second half was strange. The Hokies were in the double bonus and were too often settling for 3-point attempts. When they settled down and started attacking the rim in the final 10 minutes, that’s when the momentum changed.
The Hokies only played seven players, with Tyler Johnson and Antonio Dorn still out. Six of those seven players scored in double figures. In his second game back from a foot injury, Tobi Lawal was impactful off the bench, finishing with 10 points and seven rebounds in 23 minutes.
Hansberry led the Hokies with 15 points and nine rebounds. Bedford scored 13, while Gurdak had 12 and Schutt and Neoklis Avdalas each scored 11 points. Ben Hammond’s run of double-figure scoring games ended at eight games, as he scored only six for the Hokies.
Next up for Virginia Tech is a road game at No. 24 SMU on Wednesday.
