Virginia Tech Beats Wake Forest 82-63 in ACC

Virginia Tech defeated Wake Forest 82-63 on Saturday in Blacksburg, Virginia, snapping a two-game losing streak for the Hokies while ending the Demon Deacons' three-game winning streak in Atlantic Coast Conference play.

The Hokies, now 18-10 overall and 7-8 in the ACC, built a 43-33 halftime lead behind strong shooting and pulled away decisively in the second half. They shot 51 percent from the field for the game and got double-digit scoring from six players, showcasing balanced offensive contributions. Neoklis Avdalas led with 17 points and seven assists, including a key 3-pointer that ignited a crucial run. Tobi Lawal also scored 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting while grabbing nine rebounds. Amani Hansberry added 13 points with two 3-pointers during the decisive stretch, Ben Hammond contributed 12 points and five assists, and Jailen Bedford hit back-to-back 3s to help extend the lead to 61-45 with 11:25 remaining. Christian Gurdak came off the bench for 10 perfect points on 5-of-5 shooting.

Wake Forest, falling to 14-13 overall and 5-9 in conference, struggled after a competitive start. The Demon Deacons opened hot from beyond the arc, making their first four 3-pointers, but...