Virginia Tech Rallies Past Syracuse 76-74

In Syracuse, New York, Virginia Tech rallied from a halftime deficit to defeat Syracuse 76-74 on Wednesday night, securing its first victory at the JMA Wireless Dome since January 2020. Guard Ben Hammond led the Hokies with 24 points, while reserve forward Tobi Lawal added a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds, combining with Hammond to sink 22 of 24 free throws in a game defined by trips to the line.

The Orange jumped to a 37-30 lead at halftime, capitalizing on an early barrage of three-pointers that included five makes in their first seven attempts. Virginia Tech struggled defensively from beyond the arc in the opening period, allowing Syracuse to build a seven-point advantage despite the Hokies shooting 47.6 percent on two-point attempts by focusing on interior play.

The second half belonged to Virginia Tech, which outscored Syracuse 16-8 over the first nine minutes to erase the deficit. Hammond capped the run by making one of two free throws to give the Hokies a 46-45 edge. Lawal followed with one of two from the stripe, and Hammond added a short floater and a three-point play to push the lead to 59-53 with 5:50 remaining. Virginia Tech never trailed again, though...