BLACKSBURG, Va. — Jaden Schutt led the scoring for Virginia Tech with 17 points on a shooting performance of 5-for-10, as the Hokies secured a hard-fought 58-52 victory against Winthrop on Monday night. This triumph not only added to their season’s record but also marked a significant milestone—Virginia Tech’s 800th win in its program history.

The game was tightly contested, with Winthrop, now at 2-1, managing to tie the score at 42 when Kelton Talford converted a pair of free throws with just 7:47 left on the clock. However, Virginia Tech (3-0) quickly regained control, launching an impressive 8-0 run in the following three minutes. This surge included a basket from Patrick Wessler, a dunk combined with a free throw from Toibu Lawal, and a three-pointer by Jaydon Young.

Young’s second three-pointer of the match, scored with just 3:33 remaining, extended the Hokies’ lead to 53-44, which was their largest lead of the contest. As the clock ticked down to 59 seconds, K.J. Doucet hit a three for Winthrop, narrowing the gap to 55-52. Despite their efforts, Winthrop could not complete the comeback as Virginia Tech’s Brandon Rechsteiner sank two free throws, followed by Lawal hitting one of two from the line, while Winthrop missed its final three attempts.

In addition to Schutt’s performance, Toibu Lawal also had an impressive outing with a double-double, scoring 10 points and securing 10 rebounds. On the opposing side, Winthrop was led by Kasen Harrison with 19 points and Doucet with 17, who together were responsible for 15 of the Eagles’ 20 successful field goals during the game.

Both teams faced challenges in their shooting, struggling from various spots on the court, including the free-throw line. Virginia Tech converted 12 of their 18 attempts while Winthrop managed 7 of 13 from the line. Historically, Virginia Tech has maintained a strong record against Winthrop, holding a 3-0 advantage in their all-time series. The last encounter between the two teams took place on December 3, 2013, when the Hokies won 81-63 in Blacksburg.

The Hokies are currently riding a 14-game winning streak against teams from the Big South Conference and this matchup was the second in a series of consecutive games against the conference. In total, Virginia Tech boasts a remarkable 38-4 record against current members of the Big South.