Virginia Tech Hokies Edge Out North Carolina Tar Heels at Cassell Coliseum
In a closely contested battle at Cassell Coliseum, the Virginia Tech Hokies emerged victorious over the North Carolina Tar Heels with a final score of 68-65. The Hokies now hold an impressive 7-0 record, while the Tar Heels stand at 13-1.
The game was marked by intense competition, as evidenced by the 12 times the lead changed hands and the score being tied on another dozen occasions. The Virginia Tech Hokies showcased their defensive skills with four blocks and three steals during the game. On offense, they were led by their sharpshooting from beyond the arc, hitting 12 three-pointers at a commendable rate of 39 percent accuracy.
The home team's ability to distribute the ball was also on display; they tallied up an impressive total of 16 assists. This teamwork helped them overcome a relatively high turnover count of 20 for the game. The free throw line proved to be crucial for Virginia Tech as well; they capitalized on these opportunities by making an excellent 88 percent of their attempts.
Rebounding was another area where Virginia Tech excelled, outperforming their opponents with a total of 38 rebounds—24 defensive and an additional dozen offensive boards—which contributed to securing second-chance points that kept them ahead in this tight contest.
On the other side, despite falling short in scoring, North Carolina Tar Heels put up a strong fight throughout all four quarters. They managed to block three shots and steal five times from Virginia Tech players. Their field goal percentage stood at a solid rate of approximately 43 percent from all attempts combined but wasn't enough against Hokies' defense.
The Tar Heels were particularly effective inside with scoring in paint totaling to about half (32) of their overall points (65). They also made good use of turnovers by converting them into sixteen points but struggled slightly more than their opponents when it came to assists-to-turnover ratio.
As fans look forward to more action-packed games from Virginia Tech Hokies, attention now turns towards their next challenge against rivals—the University Cavaliers—at Cassell Coliseum on January fifth at seven o'clock in evening Eastern Time. Fans can catch this anticipated matchup live via ACC Network Extra online broadcast network.