Before conference play begins next week, Virginia Tech has its sights on a fourth straight double-digit win when the Hokies welcome Elon to town Saturday in Blacksburg, Va.
The Hokies (10-2) are coming off an 82-53 thumping of Maryland Eastern Shore on Sunday, when they held the Hawks to 14.8% from 3-point range and every player to seven points or less.
Neoklis Avdalas led the Hokies with 16 points and seven assists, while their leading scorer on the year, Amani Hansberry, added 12 points and nine rebounds.
Christian Gurdak (13), Tyler Johnson (12) and Ben Hammond (10) rounded out the scoring for a team that has seven players averaging at least 8.9 points per game.
Virginia Tech is a team that has thrived on sharing the rock. The Hokies had 24 assists on 31 made shots against the Hawks and have averaged 18.3 during their current four-game winning streak.
“Along with the 24 assists and eight turnovers, to have five guys (score in double-digits), that’s an unselfish team, that’s a team playing the right way,” coach Mike Young said after the win. “That certainly thrills me when everybody’s touching the ball and the ball is moving and we got it into the post on occasion. Makes me happy.”
Elon (7-4) is in the midst of a three-game winning streak after downing Richmond 73-70 on Wednesday behind 16 points and six rebounds from Kacper Klaczek.
After trailing 41-35 at halftime, the Phoenix shot 53.8% from the floor in the second half and were 6-for-6 to end the game to steal one from the Spiders.
Leading scorer Chandler Cuthrell was held to just nine points for his first game below 15 points all season. Cuthrell, who averages 21.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, did come up in the clutch by delivering the winning basket — an and-one to break a 70-all tie with 53 seconds remaining.
“I saw there was enough contact where he was going to be able to get the ball up and give it a chance on the backboard. When he gets in the paint, he’s very difficult to stop,” coach Billy Taylor said after the win.
“To be able to get a hard-fought victory like this is really important for us for our growth and development.”
–Field Level Media
