On the same day that No. 13 Virginia celebrated its seniors, it also hosted Virginia Tech with a chance to avenge a triple-overtime loss. Thanks to a blistering offensive start and poor shooting by the Hokies (19-12, 8-10 ACC) down the stretch, the Cavaliers (27-4, 15-3 ACC) earned a 76-72 victory to put the finishing touch on the regular season.
A pregame ceremony honored Virginia’s graduating class on Senior Day, as the five graduating Cavaliers received flowers and framed jerseys accompanied by friends and family. Coach Ryan Odom emphasized the importance of the five players, all of whom played their first seasons in Charlottesville this year.
“They chose Virginia for all the right reasons,” Odom said postgame. “A lot to be proud of, and it wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for those five guys that made the choice … They all, in their own way, have impacted this place and made the most of their time here.”
Each of the five also contributed in significant ways Saturday — particularly senior center Ugonna Onyenso and graduate guard Malik Thomas, who notched 16 points apiece. Six of Onyenso’s points came on two three-pointers, highlighting the difficulty of guarding the seven-foot senior.
“Number 33, come on man, give me a break,” Virginia Tech Coach Mike Young said. “Kid makes two threes and a huge one over there in front … he’s a heck of a basketball player, and I commend him on his toughness.”
Graduate guard Dallin Hall’s impact came despite scoring zero points on the day. Hall fouled out of the game with 1:18 remaining, but he notched a whopping nine assists in 28 minutes of play. As he has all season, Hall made his impact through shot creation and steady execution.
Graduate guard Jacari White and graduate forward Devin Tillis played critical minutes off the bench. White made just one three-pointer, but it came at a critical time as Virginia Tech drew within four points early in the second half — and it was a stunner. White rose above junior guard Jaden Schutt in the corner with seemingly no separation. Tillis, for his part, knocked down a free throw in the final seconds to give Virginia a two-possession lead.
Through the first four minutes of play, the Cavaliers outscored their rivals 14-3, with six points coming off turnovers. Virginia reached a 17-point lead not long afterwards off a three-pointer from graduate forward Devin Tillis, securing its biggest lead of the game in less than nine minutes.
Virginia Tech responded well to the Cavaliers’ early surge, with sophomore guard Ben Hammond and junior forward Amani Hansberry combining for a 6-0 run in just 48 seconds, before another quick 7-0 run a couple of minutes later. A 12-2 run to end the period for Virginia — through a period that saw five Hokie turnovers — made it a 16-point game at the halfway mark.
Virginia Tech came out with momentum to begin the second half. Hansberry knocked down a three-pointer immediately — Lawal and Bedford found routes to the rim shortly after, cutting the Virginia lead to nine. The 7-0 run ballooned to a 13-5 sequence as the Hokies finally found their rhythm from the perimeter, knocking down three from beyond the arc in the first four minutes of the second half.
Virginia Tech relied on a dynamic two-man pick-and-roll to create opportunities under the rim, but it was tough sledding with Onyenso and freshman center Johann Grünloh patrolling the paint. The two consistently turned away Hokie guards trying to slice through the lane, forcing them to pass out to the perimeter where Virginia Tech had little success. Postgame, Onyenso noted how much he enjoys turning away prospective scorers.
“I love the fear in their eyes when they see me down there,” Onyenso said. “Most people go and still try me. That’s one thing I love about basketball in general … Some gonna come, some gonna try. Some gonna be like, ‘Oh, I’m not trying this.’”
Still, despite the defensive dominance of Virginia’s big men, the Hokies found success under the basket — particularly Hammond, who notched 21 points by game end to lead his team by a wide margin. They benefited greatly from excellent offensive rebounding, notching 13 offensive boards. The disparity evened out throughout the game, but Virginia Tech gave itself a chance late thanks to a string of rebounds on three-point attempts.
Ultimately, though, the Virginia defense was too much for the Hokies to overcome. It forced 10 turnovers — including nine in the first half — and held Virginia Tech to an 8-32 mark from beyond the arc. The Cavaliers did just enough on the offensive side in the second half to hold off the Hokie runs, ending regular-season play with a win in the Commonwealth Clash.
The Cavaliers will next make a trip to Charlotte, N.C. for the ACC Tournament. They will play for the first time Thursday at noon, having secured a double-bye in their recent win over Wake Forest.
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