BLACKSBURG – P.J. Horne scored 17 points and the Hokies had their second-best shooting performance of the season en route to a 70-58 ACC victory over Clemson at Carilion Clinic Court on Wednesday.
The victory enabled the Hokies to snap a four-game losing streak, as they moved to 16-14 overall, 7-12 in the ACC. Clemson, which had won four of its past five games coming in, fell to 15-14, 9-10 in league action. The Hokies also swept the season series between the two school.
Horne connected on 6 of 10 from the floor for Tech, which shot better than 50% for the first time in an ACC game this season. The Hokies also held Clemson to 35.1% (20 of 57) from the floor in playing arguably their most complete ACC game of the season.
Horne tied a career high with four 3-pointers, and Tyrece Radford added 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting for Tech, which shot 54.2% from the floor (26 of 48) and hit 12 3-pointers. Only their 56.5% shooting night against Delaware State in November has been better than Wednesday's performance – one in which the Hokies made 16 of 27 from the floor in the second half to pull away.
Tevin Mack was the lone Clemson player in double figures, scoring 12 points. The Tigers (15-14, 9-10 ACC) had won four of their past five games coming into this game.
Virginia Tech broke open a close game midway through the second half. Clemson grabbed a 42-41 lead on a field goal by Mack with 13:59 remaining, but the Hokies responded with a 13-0 run. Hunter Cattoor and Jalen Cone capped the run, with Cattoor scoring on a breakaway dunk and a 3-pointer and Cone burying a 3-pointer from the wing, giving a 54-42 lead. Clemson never recovered.
Cattoor scored nine points, Isaiah Wilkins had eight, and Cone added six to lead a Virginia Tech bench that finished with 23 points.
QUOTES TO NOTE
Virginia Tech head coach Mike Young
(On his team's moxie during a difficult stretch)
"I'm proud of our team. We've battled through some things and stayed the course and found a way to get out of here in our home finale. Proud of our bunch."
(On P.J. Horne's performance)
"When P.J. Horne has the ability to step out and make multiple 3's, that makes really, really tricky to guard. To make four, that's really difficult, and I rank Clemson in the top three or four, maybe top two, in our league in halfcourt defense."
(On the possibility of receiving a first-round bye at next week's ACC Tournament)
"I think it would be a pretty nice feather in our team's hat to get off that Tuesday game [the day of the first round].If we've got to play, let's go load it up and fight. But to get off of that and play Wednesday, that would be a real reward for a team that's hung in there together and continued to improve through the year."
GAME NOTES
• The Hokies out-rebounded an ACC opponent for just the third time this season – doing so twice against the Tigers.
• Tech's 17 assists were its fourth-most in an ACC game this season.
• The Hokies' 16 turnovers tied for their most in a game this season.
• Horne scored in double figures for just the seventh time this season.
• Horne hit four 3-pointers in the Hokies' win over Pittsburgh a couple of weeks ago.
• Horne's six field goals also tied a career high.
• Radford scored in double figures for the 13th time this season and he grabbed at least five rebounds in a game for the 18th time this season.
UP NEXT
The Hokies close out the regular season Saturday with a game against Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Tech has won its last two games in South Bend. The game tips at 2 p.m.Gallery: (3/4/2020) 2020 MEN'S BASKETBALL vs. CLEMSON