Virginia Tech Hokies' Second Half Surge Falls Short Against Louisville Cardinals

The Virginia Tech Hokies faced off against the Louisville Cardinals in a challenging encounter at the KFC Yum! Center. The game concluded with the Cardinals securing an 85-71 victory over the Hokies. This result leaves Virginia Tech with a record of 0-1, while Louisville stands at 1-0.

First Half

The first half saw both teams battling for dominance, but it was the Cards who took control early on. The Hokies struggled to find their rhythm offensively, managing only 22 points compared to Louisville's 37. Despite their efforts, Virginia Tech's shooting percentage hovered around 40 percent from the field, and they were unable to capitalize on fast break opportunities.

Second Half

In a spirited comeback attempt during the second half, Virginia Tech significantly improved their performance by scoring an impressive 49 points. Ben Hammond led this resurgence with his sharp shooting from beyond the arc, contributing to his team-high of three successful three-pointers out of five attempts. However, despite cutting into Louisville's lead multiple times and showcasing strong defensive plays like Tobi Lawal’s five blocks throughout the game, it wasn't enough to overcome Louisville’s consistent scoring.

Post-game Analysis

Louisville maintained their edge through efficient ball movement and capitalizing on second-chance opportunities with a total of 20 points in that category alone. Their ability to dominate inside was evident as they scored a substantial portion of their points in the paint—36 in total—compared to just 14 by Tech.

The post-game report for Virginia Tech Hokies highlights areas for improvement such as reducing turnovers which stood at thirteen and enhancing free throw accuracy which was only at sixty-two percent during this match-up against Ville.

Looking ahead after this intense battle between these two teams; fans can anticipate another exciting contest when Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets visit Cassell Coliseum on January 27th at 8:00 PM EDT where viewers can catch all action live via ACC Network broadcast!

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