Virginia Tech Men's Basketball Fends Off Late Surge to Defeat Georgia Tech 71-65

The Hokies' last field goal came with 6:58 to play in the contest.

Jan. 28, 2026 at 1:47am

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On the back of second-chance points and a stuffy defense that forced 14 turnovers, Virginia Tech men's basketball narrowly escaped with a 71-65 victory over Georgia Tech Tuesday evening in Cassell Coliseum. Redshirt junior guard Kam Craft got the party started rather quickly for the Yellow Jackets, as he fired and connected on Georgia Tech's first three field goals of the contest. However, Craft's flurry of three-pointers was the only connection from downtown the Yellow Jackets had all night. Guard Ben Hammond accounted for Virginia Tech's opening seven points, and the Hokies led at halftime, 36-30, even with lower shooting splits than Georgia Tech. The two-possession lead that Virginia Tech held at halftime grew as large as 15 with just under five minutes of regulation remaining, in part due to spectacular offensive rebounding and continued defensive pressure. But the Hokies were unable to consistently get to the rim, forcing them into taking shots from the perimeter that they also couldn't hit. Virginia Tech failed to make a field goal for the final six minutes and 58 seconds of the game.

Why it matters

This game highlighted Virginia Tech's ability to grind out a win despite offensive struggles late, relying on their defense and second-chance opportunities to hold off a late Georgia Tech surge. The Hokies' performance showcased their resilience and ability to win close games in the competitive ACC conference.

The details

Virginia Tech's defense forced 14 turnovers, which led to 20 points off turnovers. The Hokies also dominated the offensive glass, corralling seven offensive rebounds during a key three-minute stretch in the second half that resulted in eight second-chance points. While Virginia Tech struggled to hit shots down the stretch, guard Ben Hammond led the team with 20 points, and Tobi Lawal made key free throws to seal the victory.

  • The Hokies' last field goal came with 6:58 to play in the contest.

The players

Kam Craft

Redshirt junior guard for Georgia Tech who scored the Yellow Jackets' first nine points of the game.

Ben Hammond

Guard for Virginia Tech who made his fifth straight start and accounted for the Hokies' opening seven points.

Christian Gurdak

Forward for Virginia Tech who contributed physical interior finishing to help the Hokies rally back from an early deficit.

Tobi Lawal

Senior forward for Virginia Tech who struggled shooting in the first half but made key free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

Jailen Bedford

Guard for Virginia Tech who hit the Hokies' final field goal with 6:58 remaining in the game.

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What they’re saying

“I'm not real sure, and I think about it all the time. [But] he's just playing so good... We need his firepower in that lineup.”

— Mike Young, Hokies head coach

“It [the press] caught us off guard a little bit. We didn't want to take an early shot in the possession, and sometimes that leads to not being as fluid... In the flow of the game, we're scoring with 20, 15, 18 seconds left in the shot clock, but we're trying to score 10 in that situation.”

— Christian Gurdak, Virginia Tech forward

“Georgia Tech doesn't turn you over; it's not like they're messing with you. I've got a great ball-handling team, and turnovers disgust me. Sloppy basketball disgusts me.”

— Mike Young, Hokies head coach

“We didn't shoot the ball worth a darn. We had six great looks in the first half that we typically get down.”

— Mike Young, Hokies head coach

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

— Mike Young, Hokies head coach

What’s next

The Hokies have their toughest face in store next time out, coming against the No. 4 Duke Blue Devils on Saturday, January 31, at noon ET. Coverage will be available on ESPN.

The takeaway

This game showcased Virginia Tech's ability to grind out a win despite offensive struggles, relying on their defense, rebounding, and free throw shooting to hold off a late Georgia Tech surge. The Hokies' resilience and ability to win close games in the competitive ACC conference will be crucial as they prepare to face a top-ranked Duke team next.