BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) – Keve Aluma scored 24 points and sank two clutch shots down the stretch to allow Virginia Tech to hold off Commonwealth rival Virginia, 62-53 Monday night for its sixth straight win.
After Kadin Shedrick scored to pull the Cavaliers within four points, 54-50, with just under three minutes left, Aluma found open space in the middle of the key and threw down a dunk to push the Hokies lead back to six. A minute later he knocked down a turnaround baseline jumper to make it 58-50.
Jayden Gardner hit a jumper with just under a minute left in the first half and Reece Beekman added two free throws to give Virginia (16-10, 10-6 Atlantic Coast) a 29-25 lead at intermission.
Aluma dunked twice in the opening three minutes of the second half and his second throw-down put the Hokies (16-10, 8-7) in front, 32-31. The Cavaliers managed to tie the game twice in the second half, but they could not retake the lead.
Aluma was 10 of 14 from the field and totaled 20 or more points for the eighth time this season. He also blocked four shots and the Hokies swatted away six as a team. Nahiem Alleyne added 11 points.
Gardner posted a double-double to lead Virginia, scoring 17 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. Shedrick and Beekman added 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Virginia Tech ends a run of four straight home games when it plays host to North Carolina on Saturday.
Virginia plays at Miami on Saturday.
Gallery: (2-14-2022) MBB: Virginia Game
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COMMONWEALTH CLASH
- The win gives the Hokies one-half point in the Commonwealth Clash, presented by Smithfield. The score for the Commonwealth Clash currently is 5.5-1.5 in favor of Virginia Tech.
- Click here to celebrate Virginia Tech defeating Virginia inside Cassell Coliseum by making a $25 gift to the Hokie Club and receive a two-pack of King of the Cassell koozies.
NOTES
- Keve Aluma's 24 points left him one point shy of his season-high that he set against Georgia Tech.
- Along with his team-high scoring numbers, Aluma had a season-high four blocks.
- In his last two outings, Justyn Mutts has recorded 16 assists and only one turnover.
- For the first time since 2017-18, the Hokies have defeated Virginia in back-to-back seasons.