BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) Kyle Guy scored 23 points and No. 3 Virginia pulled away in the second half to beat No. 20 Virginia Tech 64-58 on Monday night.
Ty Jerome added 16 points and De’Andre Hunter had 10 for the Cavaliers (23-2, 11-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), who swept the regular-season series with their state rivals and won for the sixth time in their last eight visits to Cassell Coliseum.
Kerry Blackshear Jr. had 23 points and 13 rebounds for the Hokies (20-6, 9-5), who played their sixth game in a row without floor leader Justin Robinson (injured foot). Ahmed Hill added 16 points, but the Hokies made just 3 of 27 attempts from beyond the 3-point arc.
The game was tied at 32 after Hill’s 3-pointer to open the scoring in the second half, but the Cavaliers gradually built their lead to 48-38 with about 11 minutes to play. The Hokies scored the next five points, rousing a sold-out crowd, but Virginia turned up its defense and held the Hokies scoreless for six possessions over the next 4 + minutes and opened its largest lead at 56-43 with 5:51 to play.
Hill broke the drought for Virginia Tech with a steal and dunk, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker followed a Virginia miss with a basket in traffic, but Jerome answered with a driving bank shot for the Cavaliers and their lead was 58-47 with 4 minutes to play. Three-pointers by Guy, his sixth of the game, and Braxton Key rebuilt the Virginia lead to 64-54 with under a minute left.
BIG PICTURE
Virginia: The Cavaliers appeared extremely loose in pregame warmups, but again were hurt by turnovers (eight) and sloppy play in the first half. They also played the last 12-plus minutes of the half without Hunter because of foul trouble and appeared out of sorts at times without their scorer most capable of making his own shot. They finished with 13 turnovers.
Virginia Tech: The Hokies have struggled mightily at times without Robinson, but Blackshear has emerged as more of a go-to offensive performer in his absence. That can only help if and when Robinson returns from his left foot injury. The Hokies finished with just nine assists on 23 field goals.
UP NEXT
Virginia: The Cavaliers play at No. 18 Louisville on Saturday.
Virginia Tech: The Hokies go on the road to play at Notre Dame on Saturday.
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