The Virginia Tech Hokies ended the Battle 4 Atlantis with a two-game stumble as they fell to VCU 86-68 behind the Rams' impressive shooting.
Virginia Tech’s loss to Saint Mary’s gave them a matchup with VCU for third place in the tournament. It was a chance to pick up a quality win against the Rams and to finish the tournament with a 2-1 record. However, the Rams’ strong shooting performance and some poor defense by the Hokies contributed to them losing their second straight game.
The first half was an offensive affair and a battle of runs. VCU led early 10-2; but later in the half, the Hokies went on a 12-0 run to gain a 27-25 lead. The Rams answered back later on with a 10-0 run of their own on their way to a 45-35 halftime lead.
For Virginia Tech, the offensive sparks came from Jaden Schutt, who had 13 points at halftime, going 5-7 (71%) from the field and 3-5 (60%) from deep. Following him was Tyler Johnson with eight points that included a pair of threes. The Hokies didn’t shoot bad at all, going 15-30 (50%) from the field and 5-9 (55%) for three.
In the second half, the Hokies got off to another slow start. The Rams showed no mercy in the second half, shooting 17-32 (53%) from the field and 5-8 (62.5%) from deep. While the numbers speak for themselves, the Rams couldn't miss a shot, and many of them didn't come easy. Jaden Tracey and Terrence Hill Jr. were both 2-2 on three-pointers, with a few coming from several steps behind the line.
While the score may say otherwise, the Rams played good enough defense. They weren’t great, but the biggest thing they did was take Schutt out of the game after his hot start. Completely face guarding him while he's in the corner and unable to do anything. After his hot start, Schutt shot only two more 3’s and recorded two points the rest of the game.
In the second half the Rams didn’t skip a beat, continuing to shoot at a 52% clip and 46% from three behind Terrence Hill Jr., who added to his impressive first half, finishing the game with 21 points behind 6-7 (85%) shooting and 5-5 (100%) from deep. Following him was Brandon Jennings with 17 and Tracey with 13 and 3-5 (60%) from deep. VCU found themselves with a 20-point lead at one point in the second half.
The Hokies were able to cut the deficit to as few as six points after outscoring the Rams 18-5 near the eight-minute mark of the half. Ben Hammond's offensive pace and greater intensity on defense propelled the Hokies. VCU appeared to be tiring at that point, but after the media stoppage, the Rams made some important shots to immediately extend their lead and coast to the finish line.
Hansberry and Johnson led the Hokies with 16 points each and were key to the Hokies' ability to claw back in the game. Hansberry shot 6-10 (60%) and had four boards, while Johnson went 5-8 (62.5%) with two threes and four points from the foul line.
You have to credit VCU for their shot making, but the defense for the Hokies was rough at times. Tech struggled with how fast the Rams played, and the defense was scrambling, which leading to easy shots which they made. VCU’s center Lazar Djokovic also had his impact on the glass at 6-foot-11, and Hansberry struggled to contain him in the first half. Djokovic finished with 11 points with four coming from the foul line. He only got four boards, but overall, the Rams held their own on the glass with 36 boards compared to Virginia Tech’s 28.
Tobi Lawal’s absence the last two games has been apparent, especially facing two teams with centers who have a ton of height. The team struggled defensively in the paint, and that is an area Lawal excels at and is very impactful for the team, especially with his athleticism. His injury will be something to watch over the next few days before their next game.
While it is admirable that Tech has been able to come back and keep the game close at times, they cannot continue to have sluggish beginnings like they have in the previous two games. The defense has also suffered; losing Lawal doesn't help, but if you can't play defense, it will be difficult to win games unless the team shoots the ball at a high clip or a player has a standout performance.
The Hokies look to bounce back from their two-game skid against South Carolina on Tuesday in their first true road game as part of the SEC/ACC challenge this season.
