:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58530019/usa_today_10571039.0.jpg)
With 3:59 left, Virginia Tech had a commanding 11 point advantage over the Boston College Eagles, who fell to 11-2 at home this season. What should have been a relatively easy win transpired into a nightmare finish for Virginia Tech. Justin Bibbs fouled Jerome Robinson as he was taking a three and Chris Clarke picked up a - let’s call it controversial - technical foul, allowing Robinson to shoot five straight free throws. Ky Bowman added two free throws of his own, in a stretch of a ridiculous 14 straight made shots from the charity stripe for BC, to send the game into overtime.
To their credit, the Hokies outscored the Eagles 14-9 in overtime to get the win. The team showed mental toughness in spades to gather themselves and step up when it mattered. They got two clutch threes from Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Justin Bibbs to build a lead. They learned from their mistakes in regulation and decisively closed the game out.
Hokies’ Kerry Blackshear and Justin Robinson were the catalysts on offense. Blackshear led the team with 20 points and did not deal with foul trouble for the entirety of the game. Justin Robinson did not have a great night shooting the basketball, going just 3-of-12 from the field and 1-of-7 from three. He did, however, have 12 assists and just one turnover.
As a team, Virginia Tech did not have a very efficient night. They shot 43.5 percent from the field and went 12-of-35 from three. However, Tech had just 10 turnovers while BC had 16. The Hokies converted those Boston College turnovers into 19 points. Virginia Tech added 6 second chance points to the scoreboard tonight as well.
The Eagles came in relying on Ky Bowman and Jerome Robinson to score the ball, and that strategy worked for the most part tonight. Robinson had 32 points, which included going 12-of-13 from the line and 4-of-9 from three. Ky Bowman chipped in with 22 points and made some incredibly acrobatic baskets as the game wore on to get BC back in the game. The duo combined for 67.5 percent of BC’s points and scored 25 of the final 27 points for the Eagles.
In the ACC, any road win is impressive. Boston College is a rising program who had been excellent at home. The win elevates the Hokies to a 5-4 record, with a real chance to win two more straight games with Miami and NC State coming to Cassell. If the Hokies can replicate the results on the front end of the ACC schedule on the back end, they will finish league play with a 10-8 record and be in a good spot come Selection Sunday.