- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Virginia Tech Coach Mike Young Questions His Coaching After Loss to Virginia
Young expressed frustration over missed opportunities that could have tied the game late
Published on Mar. 7, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Virginia Tech men's basketball coach Mike Young questioned his own coaching after his team's 76-72 loss to Virginia on Saturday. Young was frustrated by a missed dunk that would have tied the game, as well as two missed free throws, and a late 3-pointer by Virginia's Ugonna Onyenso that helped seal the win for the Cavaliers. Young openly asked "What the f*** am I doing wrong?" as he assessed the team's performance.
Why it matters
The loss dropped Virginia Tech to 19-12 overall and 8-10 in ACC play, making their path to an at-large NCAA Tournament bid more difficult heading into the conference tournament. Young's public self-reflection on his coaching also raises questions about the direction of the program and his future with the team.
The details
Virginia Tech never led in the game, but kept things close down the stretch. Young pointed to a missed dunk by Tyler Johnson that would have tied the game at 51-51, as well as two missed free throws by Ben Hammond, as key missed opportunities. Virginia's Ugonna Onyenso also hit a crucial 3-pointer late to help seal the win for the Cavaliers.
- The game was played on Saturday, March 7, 2026.
- The missed dunk by Tyler Johnson occurred with 12:21 remaining in the game.
The players
Mike Young
The head coach of the Virginia Tech men's basketball team.
Tyler Johnson
A player for the Virginia Tech men's basketball team who missed a dunk that could have tied the game late.
Ben Hammond
A player for the Virginia Tech men's basketball team who missed two free throws late in the game.
Ugonna Onyenso
A player for the Virginia men's basketball team who hit a crucial 3-pointer late to help seal the win for the Cavaliers.
What they’re saying
“What the f*** am I doing wrong?”
— Mike Young, Head Coach, Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (on3.com)
“To take nothing away from those guys – they played really hard. Both teams played really hard. The game, missed dunk would've tied it. That kid's playing his guts out. Hammond missed two foul shots. He's up close to 90 [percent] on the year. And No. 33 [Onyenso], come on, man. Give me a break. Really? Kid makes two threes, and that huge one over there in front. Come on. What the f*** am I doing wrong?”
— Mike Young, Head Coach, Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (on3.com)
What’s next
The expectation is that Mike Young will return as Virginia Tech's head coach for the 2026-27 season, despite the team's struggles this year. The Hokies will now turn their attention to the ACC Tournament, where they will look to secure an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and salvage their season.
The takeaway
Mike Young's public self-reflection on his coaching after the loss to Virginia highlights the pressure he is facing to get the Virginia Tech program back on track. While the Hokies have made the NCAA Tournament twice under Young's watch, they have struggled in recent years and now face an uphill battle to earn an at-large bid this season. Young's future with the program could hinge on how the team performs in the upcoming ACC Tournament.
