The Good, Bad, And Ugly From Virginia Tech's 77-76 Loss Vs Smu

1 jam yang lalu

Virginia Tech was seconds distant from stepping retired of Dallas pinch 1 of its astir awesome wins of nan season. Instead, nan Hokies near pinch different achy reminder of really unforgiving assemblage hoops tin be, falling 77-76 to SMU connected a buzzer-beating half-court 3 from Boopie Miller.

While nan extremity will predominate nan conversation, nan afloat image of Virginia Tech's capacity is much complicated. There was plentifulness to for illustration and worldly to dislike. Here is nan good, bad and disfigured from past night's game.

The Good - Staying successful nan Fight Against a Tough Opponent.

For each nan vexation that came pinch nan ending, Virginia Tech ne'er stopped competing against 1 of nan amended teams successful nan ACC.

Facing an SMU squad that entered nan nighttime unbeaten astatine location and classed among nan apical teams successful nan NET, nan Hokies consistently matched nan Mustangs' physicality and pace. SMU was up arsenic overmuch arsenic 9 midway done nan first half, and nan Hokies recovered a measurement to claw backmost to only being down a constituent going into nan break.

Coming retired of halftime, Virginia Tech went connected a 17-8 tally to spell up 8 points complete nan Mustangs. The Hokies showed they could spell punch for punch pinch a value squad connected nan roadworthy and put themselves successful position to win, moreover if precocious execution yet costs them.

The Bad: Not Having an Answer for Boopie Miller

For astir of nan night, nan Hokies did a bully occupation limiting Miller's violative firepower. In nan first half, he had conscionable 5 points. But erstwhile some teams came backmost from halftime, nan elder from Chicago, IL, turned it connected and vanished nan crippled pinch 24 points.

Miller made an effect successful different aspects of nan game. He besides had six assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals. While nan half-court buzzer beater will drawback nan headlines, Miller was only successful a position to present it because of his second-half power that kept SMU wrong striking distance.

The Ugly: Another Heartbeaking Loss

For nan 3rd clip successful 4 games, Virginia Tech watched a winnable crippled gaffe distant astatine nan buzzer. This time, it came connected a half-court heave.

What makes nan nonaccomplishment particularly difficult is really winnable nan crippled was astatine nan end. The Hokies were up 4 pinch 7 seconds left. Amani Hansberry successful bounds nan shot to Neoklis Avdalas, who cannot grip nan pass, turning nan shot over. SMU proceeds to people instantly connected a bully inbound walk from Miller to Jermaine O'Neal Jr., who layed it successful immediately.

Now down two, SMU fouled Virginia Tech's champion free-throw shooter, Ben Hammond, sending him to nan statement for a one-and-one, but he missed nan beforehand end. Tobi Lawal was capable to unafraid nan missed foul changeable and was instantly fouled, only to miss arsenic well. Moments later, Miller buried a 48-foot buzzer-beater, sending nan Hokies backmost to Blacksburg without a win.

This has been a communal taxable passim ACC play. The Hokies mislaid to Wake Forest connected a step-back 3 pinch 6.5 seconds remaining, past fto a 10-point lead gaffe distant successful nan last 2:09 against Stanford. Virginia Tech's biggest separator of triumph successful convention play was against Virginia, a crippled that went to triple overtime.