Virginia Tech rallies to edge Miami

Feb 14, 2022; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies head coach Mike Young reacts during the second half of the college basketball game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Virginia Cavaliers at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ryan Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

Feb 14, 2022; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies head coach Mike Young reacts during the second half of the college basketball game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Virginia Cavaliers at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ryan Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

Darius Maddox converted a turnover into the go-ahead 3-pointer with 12 seconds left, giving visiting Virginia Tech a come-from-behind 71-70 win against Miami in an ACC game on Saturday afternoon.

Virginia Tech (18-11, 10-8) rallied after trailing by eight points with 1:42 remaining. Miami led by four with 25 seconds left after Charlie Moore made the first of two free throws, but a layup by Sean Pedulla eight seconds later cut the Hurricanes’ lead to 70-68. Miami’s Kameron McGusty then had his inbounds pass deflected to Maddox, who hit the 3-pointer from the right elbow.

Miami’s Sam Waardenburg missed a 3-pointer as time expired, giving the Hokies their eighth win in nine games and fourth in a row on the road.

Keve Aluma led Virginia Tech with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Pedulla scored 17 points and Maddox had 13.

Miami (20-9, 12-6) lost its second straight home game, finishing 10-5 in its own arena this season.

McGusty led Miami with 15 points, but he missed the front end of a 1-and-1 late in the game before committing the turnover that led to Maddox’s winning basket. Isaiah Wong scored 14 points for Miami and Charlie Moore added 12 points and a game-high nine assists. However, Moore also missed a key free throw late.

In the first half, a 9-0 run gave Tech a 24-15 lead. But Miami closed the half with an 18-7 surge, capped by Wong’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer from the left corner, to take a 35-33 lead into the locker room.

Virginia Tech shot 12-for-13 on 2-pointers in the first half but was just 2-for-10 on 3-pointers. Miami shot 48 percent overall, including 4-for-8 on 3-pointers. Tech had a 16-8 edge on rebounds, but Miami led 7-0 in steals.

In the second half, Miami stretched its lead to 54-48 as McGusty inbounded the ball off the back of Tech’s Hunter Cattoor, then retrieved the ball in bounds and made a reverse layup.

The Hurricanes led 67-59 with 1:42 to play before their late collapse.

–Field Level Media

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