By Jerry Ratcliffe

No. 21 Virginia came into Cassell Coliseum flaunting its reputation as one of the nation’s most efficient offenses. The Cavaliers left with a disappointing, 95-85, three-overtime loss to a Virginia Tech team that is clearly underrated.

Both teams, coming out of long holiday breaks, showed rust on the offensive end of the floor as UVA (11-2, 0-1 ACC) overcame a 9-point deficit and led 24-23 at the break over the host Hokies (12-2, 1-0). The Cavaliers and Tech spent most of the second half leapfrogging the lead until a goaltending call led to a 55-55 score at the end of regulation.

The Hokies outscored the Wahoos 40-30 in the three overtimes, the longest game ever between the two programs, particularly in the third extra period when Tech pulled away, with a 17-7 burst to score the upset win.

Both squads were missing key personnel. Virginia was without lethal 3-point shooter Jacari White, who is recovering from wrist surgery after a thunderous dunk against Maryland on Dec. 20. Tech was missing Tobi Lawal for the eighth straight game (12.8 ppg) and starting guard Tyler Johnson (9.5).

The Hokies were efficient in closing out on Virginia’s 3-point shooters. UVA was one of the nation’s best long-range teams coming in, but made only 10 of a school-record 45 attempts from the arc.

“I talked to somebody this week, it’s not a great secret, but I’m not going to share who it was,” said Tech coach Mike Young. “But he said, you’ve seen all the film you’re going to see, but you can’t appreciate on film how hard [Virginia] comes at you with [Dallin] Hall and [Chance] Mallory and their ability to space the floor with those guys and ring you up.”

Young said that was one of the three keys for his team coming into the game: to rebound (Hokies won the glass 60-54), to take care of the ball (Tech had only 14 turnovers to UVA’s 17) and to take away Virginia’s 3-point dominance.

“And we did that,” the Tech coach said. “They made 10. I thought we did an exceptional job there.”

Virginia coach Ryan Odom agreed.

“They’re a good 3-point defensive team and one of the reasons is they get out on the 3 and make it a little more difficult, and then in closeout situations, they don’t over-close,” Odom said. “We talked to our guys before the game about trying to get the right closeout to maybe pass up one to get it to the backside. There were several times we took the bait. There were some that were wide open, too. We just didn’t knock down enough.”

While Virginia didn’t seem to make the most of its size advantage, the aggressive Hokies got surprising performances from backup point guard Ben Hammond and from freshman center Christian Gurdak, making only his second collegiate start.

Gurdak scored 17 points and collected 19 rebounds, while Hammond, a 10-points-per-game guard, scored a career-high 30 points, including a 16-for-18 performance at the free-throw line.

“Hammond was the difference in the game,” Odom said. “Clearly, his ability to get inside our defense to make the key plays, even the tip there at the end in transition, he was just a big-time player today.”

Young gushed about his sophomore backup point guard.

“Oh my gosh, Hammond was awesome,” the Tech coach said. “He’s cramping unlike any man I’ve coached, in the locker room right now. He was exceptional. He created havoc for the Cavaliers. He was arguably the best player on the floor today. How could you dispute that?”

Hammond was 7 of 16 from the field, didn’t attempt a 3-pointer, was 16 of 18 at the free-throw line, drawing nine fouls on the Cavaliers. He had 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 0 turnovers, 2 steals and a block.

Speaking of free throws, that turned out to be a major factor in the game. Hammond alone made more free throws (16) than the entire Virginia team attempted (15).

The Hokies were 28 of 41 at the free-throw line to UVA’s 11 of 15.

Odom didn’t comment on the disparity, but Young kind of poked fun at the difference when he mentioned Hammond made more free throws than Virginia attempted.

“I thought they are all great calls, too,” Young said.

Virginia fought hard most of the game, overcoming an early Tech 13-0 run, using an 8-0 run of its own over the final three minutes of the first half to regain the lead. Malik Thomas, who led the Cavaliers with 26 points even though was mysteriously missing for most of the first two overtimes, scored 12 of UVA’s first 19 points of the second half as the two teams kept swapping the lead.

Virginia took a 66-64 lead with a minute left in overtime on a Mallory 3-pointer over the 6-foot-10 Gurdak. Gurdak knotted it at 66 on a pair of free throws before UVA’s Thijs De Ridder picked up a loose ball on a Mallory blocked shot and drove for a finger-roll layup and a 68-66 lead with 14 seconds to go. Again, Gurdak tied it on an inside shot to force a second overtime.

Tech held a 75-70 advantage with only 14 seconds to go in the second extra period when Thomas reentered the game and converted a 3-point play and kept UVA close with a 3-pointer to draw within 77-76 with four seconds showing. Mallory rebounded a missed shot and laid it in to tie the game as the clock expired at 78-78, sending it to a third overtime.

The Hokies controlled the final extra period with Hammond leading the way.

Afterward, Odom complained that his team didn’t execute and that his team’s discipline wasn’t there, that the Cavaliers would learn from the road experience and move on. The Wahoos go to NC State on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Young didn’t back away from giving his team credit for pulling off the win.

Asked about knocking off the No. 21 team in the country, Young boasted, “We’re Virginia Tech. That’s what we do. I have great admiration for [UVA], but damn it, I’ve got a good basketball team, too and I’m not going to shy away from that.”

Team Notes

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

• UVA fell to 11-2, 0-1 ACC
• UVA played its first triple overtime game since a 115-11 loss vs. Georgetown in the NIT on March 15, 2000
• UVA played its first multi overtime game since losing 80-78 at Virginia Tech on Feb. 12, 2017
• UVA is 36-37 all-time in ACC openers
• The loss ended UVA’s six-game win streak
• Virginia Tech earned a worth a half point for the win in the Smithfield Commonwealth Clash, but the Cavaliers lead this year’s Clash 5.5-1.0
• UVA is 11-1 when scoring 80 or more points
• UVA is 0-1 in overtime games this season
• Virginia Tech outscored Virginia 40-30 in the overtimes
• UVA used a 7-0 run to gain a 62-59 overtime lead before a 3-pointer by Jaden Schutt
• UVA is 3-2 in away games and 1-1 in true road contests
• UVA gained a 24-23 halftime lead on a Johann Grünloh 3-pointer at 1:09
• UVA closed the first half on an 8-0 run
• UVA’s 24 first half points matched a season low (Maryland)
• Virginia Tech used a 13-0 run to gain a 13-4 lead
• UVA had a 6:09 scoring drought during the 13-0 run
• UVA was 10 of 45 (22.2%) from 3-point range
• The 45 3-point attempts marked a UVA school record
• UVA held a 44-34 advantage in the paint
• Virginia Tech won the rebound battle 60-54
• The Hokies’ 41 free throw attempts were the most vs. UVA since 43 by Wake Forest on March 3, 2007
• The Cavaliers conceded 95 or more points for the first time since 98 by Gonzaga on Dec. 26, 2020

Series Notes

• Virginia is 99-62 all-time vs. Virginia Tech, including a 24-35 mark in Blacksburg, in a series that dates back to 1914-15
• UVA is 1-5 vs. Virginia Tech in the last six contests in Blacksburg
• The Cavaliers’ 85 points were their most against Virginia Tech since netting 86 on Jan, 23, 1991

Player Notes

• Double Figure Scorers: Malik Thomas (26), This De Ridder (22), Chance Mallory (11)
• Thomas scored a season-high 26 points, netting his second 20-point effort this season
• Thomas reached double figures for the eighth time (63rd career)
• De Ridder netted his seventh 20-point game
• De Ridder added a career-high 13 rebounds for his second double-double
• De Ridder reached double figures for the 10th time
• De Ridder had career highs in assists (5) and 3-point attempts (11)
• De Ridder matched a season high with three 3-pointers
• Mallory reached double figures for the 10th time
• Dallin Hall matched a career high with four steals
• Johann Grünloh (4 blocks) has nine multi-block games
• Devin Tillis made his first start at UVA (111th career)
• Tillis had a season-high eight rebounds
• UVA started Grünloh, De Ridder, Hall, Thomas and Tillis for the first time
• Jacari White and Martin Carrere missed the game with injuries