The loss snapped the Hokies six-game winning streak.
So much for being ranked in the top 25. Only three days after taking down No. 21 Virginia in triple overtime, the shorthanded Hokies were back in action on Saturday, facing the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in Winston-Salem. A Wake Forest 3-pointer with six seconds remaining sank Tech’s hopes of back-to-back ACC victories as they lost 81-78.
Wake’s win snaps a six-game Virginia Tech winning streak, as the Hokies fall to 12-3, 1-1 on the season.
The Demon Deacons dominated the first half, as Tech uncharacteristically turned the ball over 14 times. It also didn’t help that junior forward Amani Hansberry and freshman center Christian Gurdak each picked up three first-half fouls. The Deacs probably would’ve run the Hokies out of Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in the first 20 minutes if not for guard Jailen Bedford. He scored 11 first-half points, including drilling three 3-pointers, and finished with a game-high 25 points.
Despite everything going against them in the first half, the scrappy Hokies battled to make it 36-32 at intermission.
In the second half, the Hokies would surge, and every time they were within one possession, Wake Forest would hit a big shot. Nate Calmese was generally making the big shots, and he tied Bedford with 25 points to lead all scorers. It was Calmese who would hit the big three late.
It looked like the Demon Deacs were about to pull away with around 10 minutes left when Sebastian Akins scored on a jumper to make it 58-50. That’s when Virginia Tech would go on its biggest run, scoring the next 12 points to take a four-point lead with 7:21 remaining. It was the Hokies’ first lead.
Wake Forest would battle back to take the lead, as the teams went back and forth. Anytime the Hokies needed a bucket, it was Bedford who delivered. Hansberry drained a 3-pointer with 1:24 remaining to put VT up 74-73. Wake scored on an old-fashioned 3-point play on its next possession before Gurdak nodded it at 76 with 49 seconds remaining. The Deacs would miss their next shot, but secured two offensive rebounds before Calmese’s 3-pointer with six seconds remaining put Wake back up by three. Neoklis Avdalas hit two free throws for the Hokies, and Calmese hit two more for the Demon Deacons to secure the win.
While Bedford led the Hokies with 25 points, Hansberry contributed yet another double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out. Sophomore guard Ben Hammond scored 14 off the bench. It was another tough day for Avdalas, who scored only eight points. He took only five shots after taking a season-high 21 against Virginia. Avdalas also finished with seven assists and a career-high seven turnovers. The high turnover number was highly unusual for him.
Virginia Tech is back in action on Wednesday when it hosts Stanford at Cassell Coliseum. The Hokies were again without Tobi Lawal, Tyler Johnson and Antonio Dorn. Head coach Mike Young did say there’s a chance they could get Lawal back for Wednesday.
Category: General Sports
