Virginia Tech Gets Over the Hump to Beat Campbell
Virginia Tech defeated Campbell 60-44 Wednesday night in a game that went completely off the rails. Both teams shot horribly, Campbell at 27.5% FG%, and Tech at a 38% clip.
Tech opened up the game with a trio of steals through the first five minutes, abusing the Camels on defense. Campbell has struggled with turnovers through the first two games with 28, and the Hokies were ready. 10 of Virginia Tech’s 26 first-half points came off turnovers, leading the squad to a double-digit lead at the half.
Right from the jump, shots weren’t falling. No matter how good the look on either side, it wasn’t headed for the scoreboard. Defense prevailed and the scores stayed low, just 16-26 in favor of VT at the half.
“I thought we got really good shots from people we want getting shots from. We had one of those nights I didn’t think the ball was sticking,” said Head Coach Mike Young.
Things started to look up offensively in the second half for a few minutes. Hunter Cattoor hit his first pair of threes about five minutes in, propelling Tech to its largest lead at 19. He’d finish with four from behind the arc, only seven off of the school record.
Despite the team’s shooting difficulties, this will go down as a Lynn Kidd legacy game. Kidd had 24 points and 15 rebounds becoming the first Tech player to pull down 15 boards since 2019.
“There comes a time in people’s careers when the lights come on,” said Young. “That in turn, creates a greater level of confidence from their teammates. It’s a pretty good out for us late in the shot clock.”
Kidd commanded the post with ease, repeatedly getting to the rim on a combo of spins, pump fakes, and pivots. His length played a huge part in the Hokies defensive front as well, preventing Campbell from driving and scoring in the paint.
The Hokies (2-1) will play their fourth game against Wofford (2-1) on Sunday at home. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. in Cassell Coliseum.
