Virginia Tech Men's Basketball Holds Off Georgia Tech, 71-65

Hokies survive late Yellow Jackets rally to earn key conference victory

Jan. 27, 2026 at 10:55pm

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The Virginia Tech Hokies men's basketball team defeated the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 71-65 in a close game at Cassell Coliseum. Sophomore guard Ben Hammond led the Hokies with 20 points, 3 assists and 3 rebounds, while freshman wing Neoklis Avdalas struggled, scoring just 9 points. The win was an important one for the Hokies, who could not afford to lose to a lower-ranked Georgia Tech team as they look to bolster their NCAA Tournament resume.

Why it matters

This victory was crucial for the Hokies, who entered the game as the second-to-last team in ESPN's Bracketology. Losing to the 134th-ranked Georgia Tech on KenPom would have been a serious blemish on their tournament hopes, especially after close losses to Wake Forest, Stanford and SMU earlier in the season. The win keeps the Hokies in the hunt for an NCAA Tournament bid.

The details

The Hokies fell behind 9-0 early after a trio of 3-pointers from Georgia Tech's Kam Craft, but Ben Hammond quickly responded with 5 straight points to get Virginia Tech back in the game. Hammond finished with a team-high 20 points, while freshman wing Neoklis Avdalas struggled, scoring just 9 points on 1-of-8 shooting. The Hokies nearly blew a double-digit lead late, allowing Georgia Tech to cut the deficit to 2 points, but they were able to hold on for the 71-65 victory.

  • The Hokies fell behind 9-0 early in the contest.

The players

Ben Hammond

A sophomore guard for the Virginia Tech Hokies who led the team with 20 points, 3 assists and 3 rebounds in the victory.

Neoklis Avdalas

A freshman wing for the Virginia Tech Hokies who struggled, scoring just 9 points on 1-of-8 shooting.

Kam Craft

A player for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets who hit three 3-pointers early to help his team jump out to a 9-0 lead.

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What they’re saying

“He wasn't that kind of player [last year]. He was a point guard and he was on a great high school team... He was a table setter. But he emerges here as he's really a combo guard now. And he's more a two than he is one, but he handles it. He doesn't turn it over.”

— Mike Young, Virginia Tech Head Coach

“Avdalas is an elite passer, an elite playmaker and he's a great player. We're going to figure it out together. We've got to alter some things and we will.”

— Mike Young, Virginia Tech Head Coach

“I got the most poised, smart basketball team that I've had in a long, long time. [But] we are anything but poised and smart down the stretch. We'll get better.”

— Mike Young, Virginia Tech Head Coach

What’s next

The Hokies' next challenge is a home game against No. 4 Duke and likely 2026 NBA Draft Lottery pick Cameron Boozer on Saturday, December 31 at 12 p.m. ET.

The takeaway

This win was crucial for Virginia Tech's NCAA Tournament hopes, as they could not afford to lose to a lower-ranked Georgia Tech team. While the Hokies nearly blew a double-digit lead late, they were able to hold on for the victory, keeping them in the hunt for a spot in the Big Dance.