BLACKSBURG – A balanced effort by Virginia Tech had three players reach double figures, as the Hokies (7-3, 1-0) defeated Valparaiso, 71-50, Saturday afternoon inside Cassell Coliseum.
As a team, Virginia Tech tripled Valparaiso's points from the free-throw line 15-5. Tech also dominated the rebounds, grabbing 41 to Valparaiso's 22.
Hunter Cattoor led the Hokies with 19 points on 3 for 6 shooting from long range and a 6 for 6 mark from the free-throw line.
Lynn Kidd (14) and Tyler Nickel (12) joined Cattoor in double figures. Robbie Beran set his season high with nine points as well. Mekhi Long, Mylyjael Poteat and Kidd had six rebounds a piece.
Isaiah Stafford led the Beacons (4-6, 0-2) with 14 points.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Lynn Kidd got on the board quickly with a layup on the game's first possession. Tyler Nickel and Hunter Cattoor follow with 3-pointers, putting Tech up 8-5.
- A quick 7-0 run put the Hokies up 15-7 with 13 minutes to go in the half. Mylyjael Poteat made a dunk; Robbie Beran followed with a layup and a 3-pointer.
- Two Nickel 3-pointers and a trey from Brandon Rechsteiner put Tech up 28-16. Poteat's layup and four points from Cattoor put the Hokies up 37-23 going into the half.
- The Hokies 50% shooting (6-12) from 3-point range and 57% shooting (12-21) from the field helped them build the double-digit lead in the first half.
- Cattoor's 3-pointer began the second half scoring. He later poured in another 3-pointer followed by a Mekhi Long dunk to give Tech a 47-27 lead.
- Another Poteat dunk and Beran 3-pointer put the Hokies up 52-31. That Beran basket gave him a season high with nine points. Kidd's layup broke up the Valparaiso run to give the Hokies a 58-38 lead with seven minutes remaining.
- A mid-range jump shot from Cattoor and 3-pointer from Nickel extended the Hokies lead back to 19 with four minutes remaining. That Nickel shot gave Tech 10 made threes as a team. The Hokies beat Valparaiso, 71-50.
NOTES
- Today marked Virginia Tech's first meeting with Valparaiso, putting it 1-0 all-time against the Beacons.
- The Hokies are now 3-5 all-time against current members of the Missouri Valley Conference.
- With six this afternoon, Mekhi Long has now led or tied the team lead for rebounds for the fifth straight game.
- Even though it was the first game this season that he did not start, Robbie Beran set his season high with nine points this afternoon.
- Hunter Cattoor was a perfect 6 for 6 from the charity stripe today.
- The Hokies made 10 threes today, marking the fourth game of the season where they knocked down at least 10 from distance.
QUOTES
- "We are still getting better defensively. They [Valparaiso] do have some kids who can score but I thought we did a great job on [Isaiah] Stafford. We had a good day out of our '4' spot – Mekhi [Long] and Robbie [Beran] were good. That's not because Robbie made some shots, but because you know what you're going to get out of those veteran guys. Mekhi's putting together quality game after quality game, now." – head coach Mike Young
- "Eleven turnovers in the first half were disgusting. We didn't have our starting point guard [Sean] Pedulla, but he's going to be fine. I'm certain that he'll be back for Saturday's game against Vermont. Either way, I thought [Brandon] Rechsteiner acquainted himself quite well. He missed some shots that he typically gets down, but I felt he competed defensively." – head coach Mike Young
Gallery: (12-9-2023) MBB: Valparaiso Game