Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG - Virginia Tech men’s basketball took down California 78-75 and improved to 13-4 (2-2 ACC) on the year, with an aggressive offensive attack and suffocating defense.
To start the game, Cal charged to an early 26-14 lead thanks to a 14-0 run. However, Tech answered with an 11-0 run of their own, sparked by back-to-back and-1s from Neoklis Avdalas and Ben Hammond, to tie it up before halftime.
Cal's Dai Dai Ames' 21-point scoring night pushed the Bears to hold with a one-score lead for the majority of the period. Avdalas though snagged the lead with a layup through traffic, and the Hokies never looked back.
GAME NOTES
• The starters for Virginia Tech were Neoklis Avdalas, Jailen Bedford, Jaden Schutt, Amani Hansberry, and Christian Gurdak for the fourth consecutive game.
• Six Hokies scored double digits tonight: Hansberry (15), Bedford (13), Gurdak (12), Avdalas (11), Schutt (11), and Tobi Lawal (10).
• From the charity stripe, Tech shot their highest percentage of the year, hitting 27 of 31 for 87.1%.
• VT turned defense into offense effectively by notching 23 points off turnovers to Cal's 10.
• Jaden Schutt has hit a shot from three in every game this season, and kept his streak alive tonight after hitting one early in the first half.
UP NEXT
Tech will travel to SMU on Wednesday, January 14 for a 9 p.m. ET tip on ACCN.