Ticket Market Place
Sports Radio Network | 
Travel Center & Info
Hokies fall to UVA 78-52 in latest Commonwealth Clash battle
Kerry Blackshear Jr. led Tech with 14 points, but it wasn't enough against the No. 8 Cavaliers
January 3, 2018
| 1 | 2 | F | |
|---|---|---|---|
 (8) Virginia (13-1, 2-0) | 37 | 41 | 78 |
 Virginia Tech (11-4, 0-2) | 25 | 27 | 52 |
| |||
BLACKSBURG – Despite a nice game from Kerry Blackshear Jr., Virginia Tech shot poorly and committed too many turnovers in falling to rival Virginia 78-52 in an ACC game played late Wednesday night at Carilion Clinic Court.
With the loss, the Hokies fell to 11-4 overall, 0-2 in the ACC. Virginia, which came into the game ranked No. 8 in The Associated Press poll and No. 9 in the coaches’ poll, moved to 13-1, 2-0.
The Tech-UVA men’s basketball game was presented by Virginia529, the official college savings plan of Virginia Tech Athletics and the University of Virginia Athletics. The score for the "Commonwealth Clash" is now 4-1.5 in favor of Virginia Tech. Learn more about Virginia529 and this competition at www.thecommonwealthclash.com.
Blackshear scored 14 points, hitting 5 of 9 from the floor, and he grabbed five rebounds. Justin Robinson added 12 points, but the Hokies got little production from anyone else against the Cavaliers’ vaunted defense. UVA came into the game ranked No. 1 nationally in scoring defense (52.8 ppg) and No. 2 nationally in field-goal percentage defense (36.4) and held the Hokies pretty much to those numbers – Tech shot just 36.2 percent from the floor.
The Hokies committed 16 turnovers, which led to 23 UVA points. Tech’s three leading scorers suffered subpar games, as Ahmed Hill, Justin Bibbs and Nickeil Alexander-Walker combined to score just 11 points.
The Cavaliers also played well on offense. In the first half, they shot 48.4 percent from the floor and jumped out to a 15-point lead. In the second half, they shot 50 percent and built the lead to 33 at one point.
De’Andre Hunter came off the bench to score 14 points for the Cavaliers, while both Ty Jerome and Kyle Guy added 13 points. Jerome and Guy each hit three 3-pointers on an evening when UVA hit 12.
GAME NOTES
• Both Blackshear and Robinson scored in double figures for the ninth time this season.
• Chris Clarke has recorded at least six rebounds in 10 games this season.
• Tech out-rebounded its opponent for the ninth time this season, out-rebounding the Cavaliers 33-31.
• The Hokies’ 52 points and six assists were their fewest of the season.
• Virginia’s 49.2 percent shooting percentage was the best by a Tech opponent this season.
• Hill saw his streak of making at least one 3-pointer in every game this season come to an end.
UP NEXT
The Hokies return to action Saturday with another home game, as they take on Pittsburgh in a game that tips at noon. Tech has won two straight and three of the past four against the Panthers.
For updates on Virginia Tech men's basketball, follow the Hokies on Twitter Follow @HokiesMBB
