Virginia Tech let another opportunity slip away on Saturday in Miami, losing 82-74 despite leading for 21 minutes.
The Hokies (13-9, 5-6 ACC) had a 10-point cushion with 11 minutes remaining but couldn't hang on. The Hurricanes (15-7, 6-5) outscored them 35-17 from that point on, which included runs of 13-2 and 15-2.
Tech controlled much of the contest but seemed to fall apart down the stretch. The second-best free throw shooting team was just 7-of-14 from the line while turning it over six times in the second half (11 for the game), including three from point guard Sean Pedulla in a span of 39 seconds, two of which led to easy Miami baskets.
A nine-point game at intermission in Tech's favor, it felt like Mike Young's team would coast to a crucial win as the second half wore on. But the 'Canes put the foot on the pedal for four minutes and ripped off a 9-0 run, a span where Tech was 1-of-6. They snatched back the lead, too, with 6:47 remaining, which forced Young to call a timeout.
While the Hokies punched back with a 6-0 run, which swung the game back in their favor with five minutes to play, it didn't hold for long. Then a 65-60 game, they faltered from there. Miami put up 22 points and held them to just nine.
It seemed like everything went wrong for Tech. Though it finished 48 percent from the floor and held the 'Canes to 45 percent, the second-half marks — 50 percent from VT, 56 percent from Miami — weren't good enough when combined with a minus-eight disparity on the boards (36 to 28) and such a poor clip at the foul line. In crunch time, the Hokies missed four of their five free throws and were 2-of-6 with four miscues.
Virginia Tech had four players finish in double figures, led by Pedulla's 21 points. He also had five rebounds and five assists to seven turnovers. Hunter Cattoor scored 19 (with three assists) while Tyler Nickel and Robbie Beran had 10 each. Nickel had two boards while Beran had three (and three assists).
On the inside, Lynn Kidd and Mylyjael Poteat combined for 14 points (eight and six, respectively). Kidd also grabbed 11 rebounds.
Miami had five double-digit scorers, paced by Norchad Omier and Kyshawn George, who had 16 each. Omier added seven boards while playing the final 12 minutes with four fouls, something Tech quite use to its advantage. He eventually picked up his fifth with 1:15 remaining, but his team led by seven when he left the floor. George, a freshman, was also impactful with five rebounds and four steals.
Matthew Cleveland scored 15 for the Hurricanes while Nijel Pack and Bensley Joseph chipped in 14 apiece. All of Joseph's contributions came in the second half. In a game where the Hokies defended Pack (4-of-15) and others pretty well, Joseph really got Miami back in the game.
The loss puts the Hokies behind .500 in the conference again with an off-week upcoming before a trip to Notre Dame on Saturday, Feb. 10. After dropping a Quadrant 1 game vs. No. 7 Duke on Monday (77-67), they needed the game in Coral Gables to boost their résumé but didn't get it. They're running out of those kind of opportunties — only trips to No. 3 North Carolina (Feb. 17) and Pitt (Feb. 24) are Q1 games as it stands.
Box Score: Miami 82, Virginia Tech 74