Hokies Fall to 16-7 After 72-58 Loss to Powerhouse Duke

Virginia Tech sits at 5-5 in ACC play heading into a decisive month of February to determine the team’s March Madness fate.

“We had some great possessions,” said Virginia Tech head coach Mike Young. “We cut their lead to nine – thank goodness – at the half. My team fought like hell. I thought we could find our way back – we did. I thought we could get over the hump – we did not. I thought we’d find a way to win and, obviously, we didn't.”

Since the start of 2026, the Hokies have lived on the NCAA Tournament bubble. Wins have always been helpful in getting the Blacksburg bunch back in the bracket, but losses throughout the month of January have made the bubble a balancing act in terms of being in and being out each week.

Tech would vie for its second AP Top 25 win of the 2025-2026 season Saturday against the No. 4 ranked Blue Devils. Given the Durham, North Carolina team is one of the best in the country, the Hokies would look to take down the college hoops powerhouse in a low-risk, high-reward game for the maroon & orange. 

In order to do so, however, the Hokies would have to go through a frontcourt three-headed monster – as Duke head coach Jon Scheyer described – of Cam Boozer, Patrick Ngongba, and Maliq Brown.

Although a Hokies deficit was rather expected, Tech found itself in an early hole down 26-13 with 7:44 remaining in the first half. The shortfall was not necessarily due to skill issues from Tech, but rather it was more based on Duke’s size and overall physicality.

Despite the Blue Devils getting up to a 16-point lead in the first half, the Hokies held their own and fought back to limit its deficit to nine points. A Ben Hammond layup in the final minute of the first half limited the score to 40-31 in favor of Duke heading into the break.

Amani Hansberry led the way for the Hokies in the first half as he posted 11 points in the 20-minute frame. Hansberry’s three clutch three-pointers would prove critical in inching Tech back into striking range.

Hammond trailed behind Hansberry with eight points, however the former’s playmaking in the first half made him look like Tech’s biggest threat against the Blue Devils.

While there were some fluctuations in Tech’s deficit in the second half, the maroon & orange, for the most part, held Duke’s lead consistent throughout the first 10 minutes of the half. What’s more, Tech was able to draw within six points with four minutes remaining in the contest.

The Hokies were unable to overcome their deficit, however, and took the 72-58 loss from one of college basketball’s elite squads.

Hansberry continued to keep the Hokies in Saturday’s contest throughout the second half. The Hokies’ leading scorer would end the afternoon with a 20-point outing after going 8-13 on field goals and 4-5 from beyond the arc.

Hammond, along with Jailen Bedford, finished out Tech’s double-digit scoring against the Blue Devils, as the pair went for 11 points and 12 points, respectively. Despite the guard duo going 1-10 on three-pointers, each went 5-12 on field goals in the contest and showcased their multifaceted scoring skillset.

The Hokies had their work cut out for them from the start – there is no doubt about it. Boozer, who led the Blue Devils in scoring Saturday afternoon, is among the top scorers in college basketball and is one of the best-playing freshmen in the country. Moreover, Duke’s size and physicality as a whole is tough for any college basketball team to defend.

Tyler Johnson will likely be back to Tech’s lineup for its upcoming road matchup on Saturday, Feb. 7 against NC State. Johnson’s return should serve as a reboot for the Hokies, as he will provide some crucial, all-around support for the team as it looks to slide into the March Madness mix.

“We have to have focus in our preparation,” Hansberry said. “I thought we had great focus against Virginia. Coming into today, we just couldn’t hit a shot. We really just have to tie it down and have a short-term memory. Whether we won or lost the last game doesn’t matter. We just have to buckle up and prepare our mentals and our bodies for the next game coming forward. I think we’ll definitely get there; I know we’ll definitely get there.”