MILWAUKEE, WIS. – 11th-seeded Virginia Tech men's basketball held sixth-seeded Texas to shooting 34 percent in the first half, but trails 34-32 at halftime in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Fiserv Forum on Friday.
The Hokies (23-12) held the advantage down low when scoring, outpacing the Longhorns (21-11) 16-6 for points in the paint, but were crippled by second-chance points allowed (10), giving up six offensive rebounds.
Forward Keve Aluma started the game strong, throwing down a dunk on his way to a team-high eight points and four rebounds.
The vision ➡️ the slam
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 18, 2022
The Hokies are LOCKED IN at the start 🔒 #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/aUfCTI8PUz
Tech, which shot 47 percent in the first half (11-for-23), got to the line multiple times, owning nine free-throw attempts and making eight (88%). But Texas made seven 3-pointers, including a half-court shot at the buzzer to gain back the lead.