Without Cattoor, Virginia Tech can't hold on against Miami

By Will Locklin

Staff Writer

January 14, 2024

BLACKSBURG — Virginia Tech was given a chance with a mere 20 seconds to go when Miami freshman guard Kyshawn George threw an inbounds pass a bit too far to junior forward Norchad Omier. The turnover gifted the Hokies an opportunity to tie the game down three. 

Unfortunately for Mike Young’s squad, last second magic wasn’t meant to be as MJ Collins came an inch away from sinking the game-tying three that clanked off the back iron instead. After the waves settled, the Hurricanes (12-4, 3-2 ACC) salted away a victory over Virginia Tech (10-6, 2-3) 75-71 Saturday night inside Cassell Coliseum. 

“Down three 74-71, [Collins] didn’t take the better look he had,” Mike Young said postgame. “He gathered himself which allowed the defender to get a better contest on him. I still thought it was a pretty good shot, I really did.” 

Coming into the game, Young knew it would be a challenge on both ends without long-tenured Hokie guard Hunter Cattoor. The senior captain was listed as out with a head injury that he suffered from the first half of Tech’s prior battle with Clemson on Wednesday. Still, even without Cattoor’s services, the Hokies knew they could rely on other pieces to pick up the slack.  

“We were a man down, and that’s a part of the game," Young said. “I’m proud of MJ and Tyler, thought they fought like crazy. They gave us a lot of opportunities to win the game, Miami was a little bit better in the end.” 

One player that’s picked up the slack for the Hokies has been Sean Pedulla. The junior point guard set a career high of 32 points last Wednesday night vs Clemson and then broke that career high with 33 points against the Canes.  

“I’m playing really confidently,” Pedulla said. “I know what the team needs from me and I was displeased with the way I was playing before. Just want to turn things around and play complete games and finish the game at the end next time.”

Pedulla’s 33 points came off of 13-for-23 shooting from the field with five made triples and 10 rebounds, giving the Edmond, Ok., native his second double-double of his career and first with points and rebounds. Despite his heroics, it wasn’t enough as Tech only saw one other player hit double figures in scoring. Lynn Kidd chipped in 16 points on perfect 8-for-8 shooting from the floor. 

Where the game truly got away from the Hokies was in the middle portions of the contest. Tech had a great start, shooting 4-for-7 from 3-point range in the first five to six minutes, but their shooting fizzled out to just 6-for-26 (23%) the rest of the way. 

“They had scored 29 at half, exactly where we thought they needed to be at,” Young said. “We needed the game in the mid 60’s or 70’s and we did all that except winning the game.” 

Tech had a nine-point lead in the first half evaporate into a seven-point deficit within the first five minutes of the second half. Miami went on an 8-0 run into halftime and broke out of the break on a 12-4 run, totaling a crushing 20-4 combined run from the Canes that hurt the Hokies in the long run.  

“The start of the second half was hurtful, the end of the first half was hurtful,” Young said. “They had two air balls that resulted in six points for them off offensive rebounds. The first five minutes are so critical to any game, it sets the tone of how the game will be played the rest of the way.” 

Miami got great performances from a number of their big time players. Matthew Cleveland and Nijel Pack led the Canes in scoring with 21 and 19 points, respectively. Omier added in 14 points and five rebounds of his own and hit a clutch “and-one” bucket that helped put the game out of reach for Virginia Tech.  

“Sometimes good offense beats good defense, you saw some of that tonight,” Young said. “The guys that guarded Omier and Cleveland gave us everything they had. They’re good players, really good players.” 

Next up for the Hokies is the Commonwealth Clash against a struggling Virginia (11-5, 2-3) team in John Paul Jones Arena this Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. (ESPNU)