BLACKSBURG, Va.
— Isaac McKneely led the way with 22 points while Anthony Robinson contributed 15 points off the bench, assisting Virginia in securing a narrow 73-70 win over Virginia Tech on Saturday.
Dai Dai Ames also added 11 points for the Cavaliers, marking their first victory in Blacksburg since 2020.
For the Hokies, Tobi Lawal was a standout performer with 23 points on an efficient 7-for-11 shooting, while Ben Hammond chipped in with 11 points.
Virginia Tech, with a record of 11-14 and 6-8 in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), faced crucial late-game opportunities but could not capitalize. Ben Burnham’s three-point attempt from the left wing was off-target with just three seconds remaining, sealing the fate of the game.
Similarly, a straight-on three-pointer from Brandon Rechsteiner with 44 seconds left, which could have tied the score, also missed the mark.
Entering the game’s final moments, McKneely attempted a three-pointer with 12 seconds left but failed, allowing the Hokies their last chance to either tie or win the game. Earlier, McKneely knocked down a crucial three-pointer with 7:53 remaining, extending Virginia’s lead to 62-53 before the Hokies began their comeback effort.
Elijah Saunders’ three-pointer at 6:38 left before halftime gave Virginia its biggest first-half lead at 32-17. The Cavaliers then went on an eight-minute scoring spree, outpacing the Hokies 22-9.
However, following Saunders’ shot, a powerful dunk from Lawal with 5:14 remaining ignited a rally for Virginia Tech, who responded by outscoring Virginia 16-8 over the remainder of the half, ending with a halftime score of 40-33.
During that stretch, Virginia struggled offensively, as they went nearly four minutes without a single field goal.
With this victory, Virginia now holds a substantial 99-61 advantage in the long-standing rivalry that began on February 20, 1915.
The two teams had previously split the season series, with each claiming victory on their home turf for the past three years. Virginia Tech had recently ended a drought by besting Virginia 75-74 in Charlottesville just two weeks prior, their first win there since 2018.
Looking ahead, Virginia is set to host the third-ranked Duke on Monday, while Virginia Tech will travel to Boston College to take on the Eagles on Tuesday.
