Avdalas 33 Piece Propels Hokies to 2-0 in Wild Overtime Win Against Providence

Virginia Tech secured a thrilling 107-101 win against the Friars at Amica Insurance’s Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off at Uncasville, Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun Arena.

It was evident the Hokies would have a tall task in beating Providence on Nov. 8, especially on the road up north. Though they had a down year last season, the Friars were still very capable of playing like a postseason team on Saturday.

Both squads came out swinging Saturday as each team appeared to prioritize up-tempo, three-point shooting play in the first half. Each team had exactly 50% of their respective field goal attempts consist of three-point attempts, with Virginia Tech going 7-16 from three, and Providence shooting 7-17 beyond the arc.

After only posting eight points in Tech’s 2025-2026 debut game, Neoklis Avdalas got himself off to a hot start against Providence on Saturday. The freshman dropped 17 points in the first half, with 14 of those points coming in the first 10 minutes of the contest. The Greek phenom would go on to total 27 points in regulation after tallying 10 more points in the second half. After tacking on six more points in overtime, Avdalas went for a grand total of 33 points in his second-game outburst.

Behind Avdalas in scoring was Jailen Bedford with 18 points. Bedford proved to be a dual threat both within the arc and from deep, as he went 3-5 from three and 7-11 on total field goal shooting on the evening. Amani Hansberry and Tyler Johnson would put up double-digit performances in a late-game surge, as they went for 17 points and 12 points, respectively.

The game was neck-and-neck the entire way. After a 46-40 Friars lead at halftime, the Hokies bounced back in the second half to tie it up at 84 points each with just under a minute-and-a-half left to play.

Tied at 86 a piece with three seconds left in the game, a rim-cricling, missed three-pointer from Providence’s Stefan Vaaks sent the game into overtime.

Propelled by key defensive plays, Virginia Tech jumped out to a 94-90 lead in the first two minutes of overtime. After key misses from Providence with less than a minute left in the game, Virginia Tech surged to a 104-97 lead with 40 seconds to play after big scores from Avdalas and Tobi Lawal. Tech would go on to secure the victory and improve to 2-0.

With only four returning players in Blacksburg for the 2025-2026 season, the main concern for Virginia Tech would be how well this new team would mesh together. After an undefeated start, it is clear this Hokies squad has made its vital adjustments to start the season. While there is still work to be done, Virginia Tech fans could not ask for a better start to the season.

The Hokies will return to Cassell Coliseum Wednesday, Nov. 12 as they take on the Saint Joseph’s Hawks. The maroon & orange will look to improve to 3-0 and keep its momentum going during college basketball’s opening weeks. Nonetheless, this revitalized Virginia Tech team has brought a new hope to Blacksburg in its 2025-2026 season.