Why the hell do I get to recap all of the Hokies’ should-be-blow-out-wins, but-end-up-being-too-close? Ugh. Well, here we go…

For the first time this season, the Hokies won a game in which they trailed at the half. Tech trailed 21-23 at the break, but used a 13-2 run to start the second half to take the lead and pick up the Hokies’ sixth win of the season, 58-46, this time over the liberty flames. Deron Washington led all scorers with 17 points. A.D. Vassallo added 13, and Jeff Allen registered 10. Washington also led all rebounders with 7.

This was ugly from the tipoff and it pretty much stayed that way. There was a noticeable lack of urgency and intensity from the Hokies, and it clearly concerned Seth Greenberg, who, less than halfway through the first half, had shed his jacket as if it were the final seconds of a key ACC game and his team was holding on to a slim lead.

Normally, I could understand the Hokies overlooking a team like liberty, but considering they beat us the last time the two teams met, you would think Seth would have warned his guys about a let down. If he did, they clearly did not heed the warning, and by halftime the Hokies were trailing 21-23. It marked the first time this season that Tech has trailed at the half at the Cassell.

The flames jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead, thanks to an early 0-for-4 from-behind-the-arc barrage by Vassallo, and some terrible ball handling by Hank Thorns. Vassallo finally found his rhythm, and gave the Hokies their first lead of the game (8-7) with a 3-pointer from the same spot (left of key) that he missed his first four attempts.

The flames responded with a 6-0 run to retake the lead, 8-13, but Tech answered with a 9-0 run fueled by another Vassallo 3-pointer and a Deron baseline jumper. Alas, liberty bullied the Hokies in the paint and pulled down some key rebounds, including a huge offensive board by kyle ohman, a 6-4 (with platforms on) guard who took the ball away from three Tech players directly under the hoop and put it back to give liberty the 21-23 halftime lead.

As the whistle sounded, I turned to my friend, Al, and said, “I hope Seth gives these guys a stern talking to because they just might lose this game.” OK, that wasn’t quite what I said, but you get the point.

Whatever Seth said in the locker room worked. The Hokies came out fired up in the second half and went on a 13-2 tear on the strength of a big time block by Deron and a 9-point outburst from Malcolm Delaney (FG, FT, and a pair of 3-pointers). Tech took a 25-23 lead and never looked back on its way to a 58-46 victory.

The game actually got a little chippy in the second half when the flames got called for two technical fouls and an intentional foul in the span of a few minutes. Tech was starting to take over, and it appeared the frustration was beginning to show for the liberty players. The Hokies kept their collective cool, and tempers never got out of control.

Cope-acabana’s Notes:

• Dorenzo Hudson, playing in just his second game, scored his only points of the game with 8:51 left in the first half.
• Jeff Allen was held scoreless until 4 minutes left in the second half - he finished with 10 points on three dunks and 4 free throws.
• The flames led at the break despite shooting just 18.5 percent from the field.
• The official box score listed the game as a “sell out” but there were at most 2,700 fans there - travishamockery, people … travishamockery. (look it up)
• The Hokies out-rebounded the flames by a slim 29-26 margin.
• Tech shot an uncharacteristically good 16/20 from the free throw line.
• The win is Tech’s 19th-straight at home against a non-conference foe.
• The Hokies begin ACC play on Sunday, Dec. 23, at 5:30 p.m. at Wake Forest.

That’s all for me folks. I’ll let the rest of the boys fill in the gaps. Good night … and good luck.

Niemo’s Note:

VT went small in this game. Witcher and Diakite only played 20 minutes combined. That meant Allen was the “big man” with four guards and small forwards on the floor. This is something VT has done several years in a row now: as the season goes on, they go smaller. Deron is slowly working his way back to the 4 position. Starting to wonder if Witcher will ever step up and be the player VT thought he would be, or just a role player like he is now.