Hokies Start Fast, But Hoos Get Tough Down Stretch to Win 69-57 in Charlottesville

Even with Virginia's recent run of excellence, it didn't seem inconceivable that the Hokies could pull out a win in Charlottesville.

Sure, Tech had yet to win an ACC game on the road, but this is the same team that came painfully close to upsetting the Hoos back when Justin Anderson was still healthy.

With Anderson out and guard London Perrantes wearing the Rip Hamilton-style facemask after suffering a concussion, surely the Hokies had a chance, right?

It might've seemed that way at first, but the second-ranked Hoos quickly put an end to those dreams. Tech started out hot, but much like their first loss to UVA in Blacksburg, they ran out of gas down the stretch to fall 69-57.

"57 points is a lot of points versus Virginia," said head coach Buzz Williams. "Not enough to win, but they're arguably the best defensive team in the half court in the country."

Some big shooting days from guards Adam Smith and Malik Mueller helped frustrate the Hoos at times, with the Hokies shooting 47.4% from beyond the arc for the game, but UVA's defense and superior size ultimately proved too much for Williams' bunch.

"Everybody talks about this pack line defense that they play, but we got the same shots we usually get in other games," Smith said. "It just didn't fall for us today."

Yet some of the shots did, particularly Smith's, who finished four of seven from beyond the arc and led the team with 19 points. He made a number of shots that had no business going in, frustrating even UVA's disciplined defense and making the game closer than it had any right to be.

"They hit some tough shots, and a couple of those shots that Smith hit you just have to live with," said UVA head coach Tony Bennett.

But UVA exhibited some superb discipline down the stretch, besting the Hokies on the strength of a methodical offense that's barely missed a beat without Anderson.

"I feel like they knocked down every big shot they took," said guard Ahmed Hill. "In the first half they didn't hit as many contested layups, and in the second half they did, so credit goes to them for that."

The Hokies started off fast, leaping out to an early 9-3 lead largely thanks to Malik Mueller's pair of three pointers.

By the second media timeout, not much had changed in the low-scoring affair with Tech still clinging to an 11-8 lead.

But UVA started to find some rhythm as the half wore on, tying the game at 17 with just under six minutes left. The Hoos would seize their first lead of the game at 19-17 thanks to two Malcolm Brogdon immediately afterward.

Yet the Hokies refused to let the Cavs run away with things. They kept pace with the Hoos, never reclaiming the lead, but remaining competitive.

The game went into halftime with the Hoos nursing a 26-22 lead.

The teams traded baskets for the first few minutes of the second half, before a three-pointer by Perrantes and a layup by forward Darion Atkins took the lead to seven at 40-33.

The Hoos stayed hot after a Williams timeout, adding three more baskets for an 11-0 run.

Buzz called time once more, and the team settled down. Smith and Mueller combined for three triples in the next three minutes to give the team life, and after a pair of free throws courtesy of forward Satchel Pierce, the Hokies were only down 50-46.

Then UVA turned the jets on.

"It was a four point game after Satch made the two free throws," Williams said. "Then they had an out-of-bounds play where we were switching, we had some miscommunication, so they scored a 3. Then we come back on the other end and have a turnover, and that ignited a 12-2 run, I think that was the separation right there."

He's right on the money about that. The Hoos were suddenly up 64-48 in what seemed like the blink of an eye.

"We couldn't get a stop," Hill said. "We kept telling ourselves, just get one, just get one stop, but they kept coming back and hit a big shot and hit a dunk."

The Hokies hit a few late threes, but there wasn't much fight left by the end, finishing with that slightly deceptive 69-57 final score.

Williams was despondent after the game, pointing to some positive factors, but largely lamenting that his team came up short once more.

"I thought we played really well defensively and through the first 10 minutes of the second half we played very well," Williams said. "We gave them too many layups."

Many of those layups came courtesy of UVA's massive forwards. Atkins and Anthony Gill each finished with 16 points thanks to an increased emphasis on pounding the ball inside.

"They knew they had the size advantage on us and it felt like they were trying to get it inside," said guard Devin Wilson.

Yet the Hoos' size wasn't as much of a problem for the Hokies on the glass. Tech somehow outrebounded UVA, 31-29, a rarity for this undersized team.

"I think this is the first time this year we've won on the glass," Williams said. "We've been bad on the glass all year...but I think we're improving."

Even still, this team remains without a road win, and faces a battle with fellow cellar dweller Boston College on Monday to reclaim even some shred of conference dignity.