Notre Dame Prevails Over Virginia Tech Hokies at Cassell Coliseum
In a closely contested conference game at Cassell Coliseum, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish emerged victorious over the Virginia Tech Hokies with a final score of 63-52. The Fighting Irish now stand with a rank of 5, while the Hokies hold rank 6 in their respective standings.
The home team, Virginia Tech Hokies, started strong in the first quarter by putting up 16 points against Notre Dame's nine. However, momentum shifted as the Fighting Irish clawed back into the game with consistent scoring across subsequent quarters: 13 in the second, an impressive 18 in the third, and finishing strong with 23 points in the fourth quarter. The Hokies struggled to maintain their initial pace after halftime and were outscored significantly in both third and fourth quarters.
Virginia Tech's offense was led by their field goal attempts which totaled to 68 but only converted to a shooting percentage of approximately 29 percent from the field. From beyond the arc, they attempted 26 three-pointers but made just six for a three-point shooting percentage of around 23 percent. Despite these challenges on offense, they managed to secure more total rebounds than Notre Dame with a count of 41 compared to Notre Dame's total rebound count of 39.
Defensively speaking for Virginia Tech, there were notable efforts including five blocks and three steals during gameplay. However, this defensive effort was overshadowed by Notre Dame’s robust defense that resulted in nine blocks and an equal number of steals.
The Fighting Irish showcased efficiency on both ends of the court; they shot approximately forty-three percent from field goals overall and nearly seventy-seven percent from free throws line making ten out of thirteen attempts. Their two-point shooting was particularly effective at around forty-seven percent accuracy which contributed significantly to their points scored inside paint totaling forty-two.
As for individual performances on both sides: neither team had players ejected or foul out during this encounter; personal fouls were even at sixteen each side; turnovers slightly favored Notre Dame who committed eleven compared to thirteen by Virginia Tech.
Looking ahead for fans of Virginia Tech Hokies: The next challenge will be against High Point Panthers at Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena located in High Point NC on December twenty-second. This upcoming game is scheduled for broadcast via ESPN+ network where fans can tune-in live to support their team as they seek redemption following this tough loss.