Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech jumped out to a 17-2 lead to start the game and went on to a 73-50 victory over Charleston Southern in a non-conference game on Saturday night at Cassell Coliseum, as the Hokies continued their best start under head coach Seth Greenberg.
Tech, which has won six straight, is 9-1 on the season. The Hokies haven’t started a season this well since the 1995-96 team went 12-1 to open the year.
“I don’t think a lot of people would have thought we’d be 9-1, even with this schedule,” Tech guard Malcolm Delaney said. “I’ve got a good feeling about this team. Last year, we would have lost a couple of these games. It’s good for us to start out like this and I think we’re starting to get better. That’s a good sign with our team.”
Delaney helped the Hokies get off to a quick start, as they opened the game by hitting six of their first nine shots, including 4-of-5 from beyond the 3-point arc. Delaney and Dorenzo Hudson accounted for all four 3-pointers, hitting two each.
Charleston Southern (4-6) cut a 21-point deficit to eight in the second half on two free throws by Kenny Mitchell with 17:24 remaining, but the Hokies responded with seven straight points. The Buccaneers got no closer than 12 the rest of the way.
Delaney, the ACC’s leading scorer at 21.6 points per game coming in, finished with 26 points, hitting 9-of-15 from the floor and 6-of-10 from beyond the 3-point arc. Behind his shooting, the Hokies made a season-high 55.1 percent from the floor (27-of-49) and hit a season-high eight 3-pointers.
Hudson added 14 points for Tech. JT Thompson had 11.
The Buccaneers, who lost for the fourth straight time, got off to a poor start, missing 10 of their first 11 shots. They shot just 34 percent (17-of-50) for the game.
The Hokies have held their previous three opponents to under 38 percent from the floor.
“We’ve got to get better,” Tech coach Seth Greenberg said. “Yeah, we won by 23 points, but we’ve got to get better. It’s plain and simple. We’re not at the level we need to be. We’re getting better, but we’ve got to get better. This is a game we were supposed to win.”
Jeremy Sexton led Charleston Southern with 16 points. Mitchell added 14.
The Hokies continue their non-conference slate on Tuesday night when they take on UMBC. Tip off is slated for 7 p.m. at Cassell Coliseum.