Hokies Down #15/17 UVA 47-45

The Hokies finally did it, on their fifth try they won an ACC game. To top it off, they beat a ranked Virginia. In a game where scoring was at a premium and defense was abundant, the Hokies did what it took to win, and fixed some of the mistakes that had been plaguing the team to start conference play. Even though the Hokies did get outrebounded 25-29, there was a tenacity on the boards that had not been present to this point in the season. If the team can keep that kind of intensity, then the Hokies will be okay going forward. The same goes for boxing out, as the players were actually clearing space out under the basket, and what a joy it was to watch.

The defense in this game was played at a high level; in short, both teams wanted to make this an ugly game. Both teams succeeded, but the Hokies did a better job, as UVA was held to 32.6% shooting, and a horrific 7.1%* on three's. Oddly enough, when looking at the percentage that Virginia Tech shot, which was 45.2%, one would think that more than 47 points would be scored, but UVA was able to force the Hokies into 13 turnovers (Virginia Tech forced 12).

One of the most blaring disparities in the game was free-throws attempts. The Hokies shot 4 of 7, with 5 of their attempts in the last 2:10. The Cavs shot 22 and made 14. In order for the Hokies to shoot more free throws, the team needs to attack the paint and not shoot quite as many 3's. In close games, this will be the difference (kuck helped the Hokies this time around). Dorenzo Hudson three** with 16 seconds to go clinched the upset and this one felt good.

End Notes:

Dorenzo Hudson coming off the bench is a good decision for the team. He had not been playing like he deserved to start, but his last two games have shown that he can still play well on offense. His ability to play defense was never doubted.

* Virginia Tech leads the country in three-point percentage defense

**I retract my previous statement of Hudson not being allowed to shoot 3's

DISCLAIMER: Blog posts may not have been written or edited by The Key Play staff.