It was a battle of two rising programs in Blacksburg, VA as the Ole Miss Rebels faced off against the Virginia Tech Hokies.
It wasn’t the best performance, but it is a win and that is what matters. Ahmed Hill was the leading scorer for the Hokies (8-1) putting up 20 points as Virginia Tech defeated the Rebels (6-3), 80-75. With the win, Tech remains undefeated at home on the season.
Hill managed to hit five of 10 from the field and shot 50 percent from behind the three-point arc for Virginia Tech. Zach LeDay, the Hokies leading scorer this season added 15 points and seven boards.
Hokies head coach Buzz Williams on the pregame radio show said that his team would need to force the Rebels into making mistakes. The Hokies had five steals on the evening with Chris Clarke leading the way with three. Clarke also added 12 points, five rebounds, five assists and went 3-6 at the free throw line in 33 minutes.
As a team the Hokies shot 46.4 percent from the field with 38.5 percent coming from behind the arc. The sore note on the stat sheet was the Hokies couldn’t seem to buy a bucket at the free throw line make 18 in 30 attempts.
For the Rebels, Sabastian Saiz once again showed his dominance dropping 21 points and collecting nine rebounds, three of which came on second chance points. Ole Miss outrebounded the Hokies 40-35.
Terence Davis collected a double-double for the Rebels dropping 18 points with 12 boards.
Ole Miss once again struggled guarding the permiter allowing the Hokies to make 10 three-pointers and on the season the Rebels have allowed at least eight threes in eight of nine games this season.
This win for the Hokies is their biggest of the season thus far. With this win over a very talented Rebels squad the Hokies should be ranked inside the AP Top 25. If so, it will be the first time Virginia Tech has been ranked since November 15, 2010.
Tech currently sits six spots out of the Top 25 and only got 11 votes in the last AP voting behind Syracuse (45), USC (43), Ohio State (40), TCU (33) and Florida State (18). A win like this over Ole Miss can surely lock up a spot inside the Top 25 or a potential NCAA Tournament selection.
“I fully expect this Hokies team to be in the NCAA Tournament,” said Ole Miss head coach Andy Kennedy.
The win surely helps Virginia Tech’s argument to be in the tournament. Ole Miss came into the game ranked 26th in the Ratings Percentage Index. The Hokies also have big wins over non-conference opponents New Mexico, Nebraska and Michigan.
Tech will not be in action again until Saturday due to exams. When they return to the court they will square off against The Citadel for the first time since December 20, 2014 when the Hokies won 64-61. The Hokies are 17-2 all-time against The Citadel and are combined 23-2 all-time against their next three opponents.
Ole Miss will return to action on Thursday with a home game against Murray State for the first of three straight non-conference games at home. After that it will get tough for the Rebels as their first SEC game will be against Kentucky on December 29th.
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