0 - 0 The ACC/Big 10 Challenge kicked off tonight as Virginia Tech hosted Wisconsin in the opener and lost 74-72. Don't let the close margin deceive you, the Hokies trailed by a decent margin for most of the 2nd half. The Hokies hit four late threes (which were falling frequently for both teams) to make the game close.
The statistical totals for each of the teams were eerily identical across the board...
| Player | MIN | PTS | AST | OFF | REB | STL | BLK | TO | PF | T | FGM-A | FTM-A | 3PTM-A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Totals for Wisconsin | 200 | 74 | 14 | 9 | 22 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 13 | 0 | 24-48 | 14-19 | 12-18 |
| Percentages | 50.00% | 73.68% | 66.67% | ||||||||||
| Totals for Virginia Tech | 200 | 72 | 18 | 8 | 22 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 19 | 0 | 26-52 | 9-12 | 11-16 |
| Percentages | 50.00% | 75.00% |
68.75% |
||||||||||
The difference tonight was Jeff Allen's performance, or lack thereof. Allen played just 15 minutes before fouling out and totaled just 2 points and 3 rebounds. Allen was a complete non-factor for a team that had relied heavily on their top 3 players. AD Vassallo did his part scoring 30 points, but the Hokies didn't have enough from anyone else.
Here's what TechHoops.com had to say about the performance...
Tech’s defense ultimately cost them this game. They could not defend the perimeter shooters of wisconsin. The badgers were just more fundamentally sound then the Hokies, which you would expect from a veteran team. wisconsin had better positioning on rebounds and slid to open spots on offense that led to loose balls and open looks. Tech can learn a lot from this game film.
With the loss, the Hokies missed out on another big opportunity for an NCAA Tournament resume-building win. But once again you have to love the effort and never-say-die attitude. Greenberg was as intense as I’ve ever seen him, and the players gave him 100%. But at some point you have to find ways to win these big games, and of late the Hokies have come up short. Here’s hoping this is the last time I have to write one of these recaps feeling like I got punched in the gut. The way these guys are working, and with J.T. Thompson back soon, that might just happen. At least my heart hopes so.
The Challenge continues on Tuesday with 5 games, perhaps the ACC is in for it this year?
