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Virginia Tech Survives Cold Shooting Night to Beat Chattanooga 63-58

Landers Nolley VT UTC 2019 1
Photo Credit: Liam Sment

Virginia Tech had its worst shooting performance of the season shooting under 40% from the field for the first time this season. Despite that, the Hokies found a way to stave off a strong upset bid from a former foe of Mike Young's, Chattanooga.

Virginia Tech defeated Chattanooga 63-58 to improve to 7-3 on the season with the Mocs falling to 6-5 on the season. The Hokies ended a three-game losing streak with tonight's victory and will look to build on it when they face Gardner-Webb Sunday afternoon in Cassell Coliseum.

Virginia Tech had a rough night shooting the basketball making under 40% of their field goals for the first time this season shooting 39% from the field. Additionally, Tech was held under 30% from three-point range for the second game shooting 6-21 from deep tonight.

However, the Hokies found other ways to win including one of their biggest weaknesses; offensive rebounding, which led to lots of converted second chance opportunities.

Tech had a 13-9 offensive rebounding advantage but more importantly, had an impressive 18-7 second chance point advantage that made a big difference for Tech. The Hokies also did a much better job of protecting the basketball with only 7 turnovers, a major improvement from their 14 turnovers against Duke.

Nahiem Alleyne was the star and one Hokie who had a strong shooting night with a career high 22 points on 7-13 shooting including 3-7 from 3 and a perfect 5-5 from the free-throw line. Alleyne had a personal 8-0 run in the first half, and showed why he's one of the most dangerous freshman scorers in the conference who is almost impossible to stop when he gets hot.

Landers Nolley didn't have the most efficient night shooting 7-20 from the field including 1-7 from 3, but kept fighting and finished strong with 19 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists while shooting 4-5 from the free-throw line. Nolley seemed to be in a rut that extended through most of this game, but his strong finish seemed to help him escape his struggles from the past 2 games.

Wabissa Bede once again did it all for Virginia Tech with 7 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists with only 2 turnovers while Tyrece Radford had 8 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals on 3-6 shooting. P.J. Horne had a rough offensive night with only 2 points on 1-6 shooting to go with 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block.

Tech didn't use their bench much with Jalen Cone having 3 points and 1 rebound, John Ojiako having 2 points and 1 rebound, and Isaiah Wilkins having 1 rebound and 1 assist. Hunter Cattoor did not play tonight due to what has been reported as a minor ankle injury.

Virginia Tech had their worst shooting night of the season, but showed lots of character fighting through adversity and finding ways to win. That type of positive experience with a dversity, especially when the Hokies' shooting was struggling as much as it was tonight, should prove valuable when this young Tech team enters the main portion of conference play in the new year.

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