Virginia Tech forward Jeff Allen continued his renaissance Wednesday in Raleigh by posting his third consecutive double-double in a win over NC State. Allen scored 15 points and had 11 rebounds against the Wolfpack, with most of his work coming in the first half as the Hokies built a 13-point lead at the break.
Allen had 10 points and seven rebounds in the first half, helping Tech throttle NC State on the boards. At the half, the Hokies had more offensive rebounds than the Wolfpack had defensive rebounds. They finished the game with 19 offensive rebounds which led to 23 second-chance points.
However, Allen found himself in foul trouble in the second half which helped NC State storm back. With Allen on the bench with his fourth foul, NC State was able to cut Virginia Tech's lead to six points. That was as close as the Pack got, though as clutch free throw shooting by Malcolm Delaney and points in the paint by Allen and Victor Davila kept them at bay.
Delaney and Davila did their part to help lead the Hokies to victory Wednesday by leading the team in points and rebounding, respectively. Delaney was 6-for-6 and the line and finished with 22 points and four assists. Davila pulled down a career-high 15 rebounds.
Allen's recent play is a reason for Hokie fans to be hopeful down the stretch. But even more exciting is the development of Davila, whose game is starting to round into form. We've seen him play good defense against Purdue, be a scoring threat against Maryland and now crash the boards against NC State. If he can put it all together, he'll be a great asset to the Hokies when Allen gets into foul trouble.
The game against NC State was a must-win for the Hokies because it was a very winnable game on the road. They avoided a resume-killing let down against a team they were supposed to beat. Now, they get the chance for another road win against a team that's probably on their level that's been struggling in Boston College. Win against the Eagles, who have dropped their last three, and Tech will have gone through a crucial stretch of its schedule at 3-1 with a pair of road wins.
Next on Virginia Tech's basketball schedule: 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 5 at Boston College
