WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. —
For the first time this season, Virginia Tech men’s basketball faced a loss on United States soil. Prior to Saturday’s match against Wake Forest, the Hokies had an impressive record of 12-2, with their only two losses coming against Saint Mary’s and VCU in the semifinal and third-place games of the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament.

However, during the opening stretch of the game, the Hokies found themselves struggling as they were outscored 12-2. This early deficit proved costly, as the Hokies (12-3, 1-1 ACC) dropped their first game since November 27, falling to the Demon Deacons (10-5, 1-1 ACC), 81-78. This loss also meant that Virginia, which was previously ranked in the top-30, dropped to No. 31 in the NET, making this game a Quad 2 victory for Virginia Tech at the moment.

In the first four minutes of the game, Wake Forest executed a strong start, scoring 12 points while allowing only 2 from the Hokies. During this same span, the Demon Deacons forced Virginia Tech guard Neoklis Avdalas, who had an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.28, into four turnovers. Avdalas ended up with seven turnovers in the game and scored just eight points, marking the fourth time this season that he has been held under a double-digit tally.

Avdalas appeared visibly frustrated throughout the contest but showed improvement in the second half, scoring all eight of his points and recording three assists while committing just one turnover.

The entire team struggled with ball control, turning the ball over a season-high 19 times, including 14 in the first half. Wake Forest employed an aggressive strategy, preventing Avdalas from “turning the corner,” which disrupted the Greek wing. Despite these efforts, the Demon Deacons only led by four, 36-32, at halftime.

Forward Amani Hansberry was once again the primary connector and facilitator for the Hokies. Although he committed six turnovers, he managed to score 19 points (14 in the second half) and grab 10 rebounds. This performance marked the first time since the 2020-21 season that a player recorded three consecutive double-doubles, following Keve Aluma’s achievement in January 2021.

“The kid is invaluable,” said Virginia Tech head coach Mike Young. “Would have played 33, 34, 35 [minutes]. That burns me. Burns me that that happened. But he’s a heck of a basketball player. We have a hard time without him, as he’s such a great communicator and such a great connector on both ends of the floor. He’s had a great year. I think that’s only going to continue. He’s an all-timer and you know how much I enjoy coaching him.”

Hansberry spent much of the first half in foul trouble, accumulating three fouls within the first 14 minutes. As a result, Virginia Tech had to rotate true freshman Sin’Cere Jones to the five-spot, as Tobi Lawal and Antonio Dorn were sidelined due to injuries. However, Coach Young expressed hope that Lawal might be available for the Hokies’ upcoming game against Stanford on January 7, though it remains uncertain.

Hansberry also made a crucial three-pointer with 8:07 remaining in the game, giving Virginia Tech its first lead of the contest, 60-58, forcing the Demon Deacons to call a timeout. Despite this, Wake Forest remained persistent, keeping the game close throughout.

Deacons guard Myles Colvin tied the game with six minutes and 30 seconds left, but guard Jailen Bedford responded with a three-pointer to put the Hokies back ahead, 65-62. Bedford finished the game with a season-high 25 points, marking his first game with 20 or more points since November 16.

“He was good,” said Young. “He was really good against Providence. He was really good. He’s had some great moments. He’s really helped our team. He’s the best on-ball defender we’ve got, to the point we moved him off of Juke [Harris] and onto [Nate] Calmese there at different times.”

For the remaining six and a half minutes, the game remained a tight contest, with both teams trading key baskets. Calmese hit a pair of free throws to tie the game at 67, and after a breakaway jam from Deacons forward Tre’Von Spillers, Bedford countered with a layup. Spillers then gave Wake Forest the lead again, but Hammond neutralized the advantage, raising his total to 14 for the day.

Just four days after his 30-point performance in the triple-overtime win over Virginia, Hammond was active again, driving into the paint to either take his own shot or find Bedford or sharpshooter Jaden Schutt. Spillers responded with another dunk, and Hansberry hit a three-pointer with 1:22 left, forcing a timeout.

Spillers then scored an and-one, resulting in three points for the Demon Deacons and fouling out Hansberry, who finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Despite losing Hansberry, Virginia Tech continued to fight, with freshman Christian Gurdak hitting a layup for his first made field goal of the game. Gurdak scored six points on 1-for-3 shooting from the field, adding four made free throws after a 17-point, 19-rebound performance against the Cavaliers.

Virginia Tech stopped the Demon Deacons from scoring immediately and forced a timeout with 25.7 seconds remaining, but Wake Forest sealed the win 19 seconds later. With 6.5 seconds left on the clock, Calmese hit a game-winning three-pointer to give Wake Forest an 81-78 lead. Calmese finished the game with a team-high 25 points and seven assists.

What followed was a series of intentional fouls by both teams, setting up the final sequence. Bedford went to the line with Virginia Tech trailing 81-78 and missed his first shot. His second attempt was intentional, but the defensive rebound was secured by Wake Forest, ending the game and snapping the Hokies’ six-game winning streak.

This was the first time this season that a close game did not go Virginia Tech’s way. Before Saturday, the Hokies had won four games in overtime, including three in December. However, this time, the Hokies lacked the necessary edge to secure the victory, which would have been their first in the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum since the 2020-21 campaign.

For much of the game, Virginia Tech trailed, but late in the contest, it rallied enough to take the lead at several points. In total, the Hokies led for three minutes and four seconds. However, they did not lead when it mattered most, partly due to not securing the final shot and partly due to Hansberry fouling out late in the game.

Virginia Tech’s next two games will be at home as the Hokies return to Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg to face Stanford on Wednesday, December 7.