Virginia Tech Comes Through With a Big 83-73 Win Over Syracuse

In a must-win game for the Hokies, they faced a team they had not beaten since 1977 in Syracuse. That eight-game losing streak in the series history came to an end tonight, as the Hokies used 22 points from Zach LeDay to fuel an 83-73 win. Things got dicey near the end as the Hokies took their foot off the pedal which allowed Syracuse to claw back in by virtue of three turnovers.

However, the Hokies were excellent taking care of the ball tonight. After about 25 minutes of play, they had just one turnover and finished the game with just 6 total after combining for 36 in their previous two outings.

The return of Seth Allen proved to be a vital re-addition to the Hokies’ game day lineup. The redshirt senior showed no ill-effects after suffering a concussion six days ago, posting 11 points and 5 assists on 4-7 shooting. His defense on Syracuse’s shot creators was crucial to holding the Orange to 42.2% from the field.

Chris Clarke was outstanding, per usual. He was the high man in the middle of the Cuse zone, finding teammates for open dunks down low. He finished with a 17/7/6 stat line, continuing his dominant play over the course of his last eight games.

The Hokies take on #20 Notre Dame on Saturday in the second game of their three-game homestand.