The Virginia Tech Hokies earned their 16th win of the season after knocking off the Virginia Cavaliers, 62-53 this Monday. Even after trailing by four at halftime, senior forward Keve Aluma scored 16 of his 24 points in the second half, leading the Hokies back to victory. The Hokies are now in seventh place in the ACC. Virginia now falls to 16-10, one spot ahead of Virginia Tech in the conference. 

Entering the game, Virginia needed a solid rivalry win to strengthen their bid to the NCAA Tournament, coming off four straight wins including one over seventh ranked Duke. Virginia Tech also entered the game on a five game win streak, bringing their team back from a slow start. The Cavaliers, known for their cutthroat defense, held the Hokies to a mere 25 points in the first half, entering the break winning 29-25. 

The second half, though, was a different story for the Hokies offense. They started the second half on a 13-4 scoring run and didn’t look back, holding their lead for the rest of the game. Major stops paired with clutch free throws by the Hokies ended the Cavaliers’ four game winning streak and added another to their own. 

With the NCAA Tournament nearing, each team needs to finish their final games strong for a chance to make the NCAA Playoffs this March. The Cavaliers have four more games left in their regular season, needing some big wins over tough ACC teams. The Hokies have five more games, their next against North Carolina this Saturday. A strong end to the regular season plus a deep run in the ACC Tournament could see both teams making the NCAA Tournament come March.