Virginia Tech basketball: Hokies improve to 3-0 with win over South Florida

One day after upsetting No. 3 Villanova, the Virginia Tech Hokies were back in action on the hardwood at the Mohegan Sun Arena in “Bubbleville.”

This time, the opponent was the 1-1 South Florida Bulls.

This was a major test for head coach Mike Young’s team in the sense could Tech avoid a letdown after such an emotional win less than 24 hours ago?

The Hokies answered the call, defeating USF 76-58 on Sunday evening.

The game was tight early, with both teams going back and forth before the Hokies ripped off a 15-5 run before intermission to take a commanding 36-23 lead going into the break.

It’s a lead the team would never relinquish.

Tyrece Radford led the Hokies with a season-high 21 points. Radford was an impressive nine of 12 from the field.

Keve Aluma scored in double digits for the third time this season, scoring 12 points and pulling down four rebounds. Aluma’s three-pointer late in the first half is what precipitated the run that would blow the game open for the Hokies.

Cartier Diarra and Cordell Pemsl both chipped in with points and Pemsl also finished with six rebounds.

Hunter Cattoor was the fifth Hokie to score in double digits, finishing with 13 points.

Virginia Tech is back in action again on Thursday when it hosts VMI in Blacksburg.

And, according to Young, the Hokies should get sharpshooting guard Jalen Cone back.

Cone was one of college basketball’s top shooters as a freshman last winter. A strong offense could get even better this week.