 trailed 50-38 after Ryan Cline's 3-pointer with 18:27 left, but wiped out the deficit over the next six minutes.After Carsen Edwards tied things at 77-all with a layup with 4:21 to go, Hill hit a driving basket and got fouled to put the Hokies ahead 80-77.Hill followed with a 3-pointer and Purdue (4-1) could not recover.Edwards finished with 26 points, his fifth straight game with 23 or more, for the Boilermakers.)
Nov 17, 2018When the No. 16 Virginia Tech Hokies meet the No. 23 Purdue Boilermakers in the championship game of the Charleston Classic on Sunday night, the teams know where the game will likely to be decided.Virginia Tech and Purdue are riding their defenses into the tournament finale.The teams have played Ball State this season and each defeated the Cardinals by nine points -- the closest either has come to losing this season. The Hokies and Boilermakers won emphatically in the Charleston semifinals Friday, and their defenses were the catalysts along with plenty of rebounding support.Virginia Tech trailed Northeastern 24-23 before holding the Huskies to two points in the final 6:16 of the first half, using a 23-2 run to take a 46-26 lead at the break. The Hokies were never seriously threatened after that en route to an 88-60 victory.Virginia Tech had similarly tightened up its defense at the end of the first half Thursday against Ball State, allowing seven points in the final nine minutes of the period.The Hokies allowed only seven two-point baskets to Northeastern. It shut down Huskies guard Vasa Pusica, who torched Alabama in Thursday's quarterfinals for 20 points on 4-of-4 3-point shooting. Against Virginia Tech, Pusica finished with eight points on 2-of-10 shooting.What also helped the Hokies, who are missing multiple players for various reasons and are generally undersized at the moment, is team rebounding. Virginia Tech needs to avoid getting crushed on the offensive glass.Against Northeastern, the Hokies won the offensive boards 10-7. Virginia Tech also forced 18 turnovers and committed only nine.After the Ball State game Thursday, Virginia Tech coach Buzz Williams told ESPN about team rebounding: "Our guys are gonna have to consider a field goal attempt as a loose ball in the air -- we gotta get it." The Hokies' rebounding from the backcourt against Purdue's superior size will be one of their foremost keys -- and challenges -- Sunday.Justin Robinson was superb for Virginia Tech against Northeastern. He scored 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting in the first half and ended with 19 on 8-of-10 shooting in 29 minutes.Williams had this to say about Robinson: "When he has the ball in his hands, you feel peaceful. Whatever comes from his decision-making, you feel at peace. Honestly, I've felt that way since he's been part of our program." Virginia Tech will find it hard to remain peaceful against Purdue. The Boilermakers steamrolled Davidson in Friday's second semifinal 79-58.Purdue led 33-26 at halftime, then held Davidson to four points in first 5:25 of second half and gained a 47-30 lead it easily protected the rest of the way.Carsen Edwards powered Purdue with 29 points and six 3s against Davidson, giving him five straight games with at least 20 points.Purdue's non-Edwards players didn't shoot particularly well against Davidson -- -- 37 percent -- but the Boilermakers hounded the Wildcats into 10-of-31 3-point shooting and allowed only six foul shots.Purdue also hammered Davidson on the offensive glass 18-4. Evan Boudreaux came off the bench to score 12 points and grab five offensive rebounds (seven total) for Purdue. Virginia Tech's bench recorded 14 points and 13 rebounds -- six offensive -- versus Northeastern.Sunday's game figures to be a clash between Virginia Tech's constant defensive pressure and Purdue's sturdy and more powerful form of defense, with added size on the glass. The Hokies will want to create a more frenetic kind of game, while Purdue hopes to lean on Virginia Tech with their size and strength near the basket.The Boilermakers also hope to wear down Tech with their deeper bench. Virginia Tech has not yet needed its bench to be dynamic, but it probably needs something extra Sunday. With senior guard Chris Clarke and freshman guard Landers Nolley unavailable, Virginia Tech might run into limitations Purdue can expose.Purdue coach Matt Painter knows, however, that while his team might test Virginia Tech in new ways, the Hokies are likely to give the Boilermakers a sterner test than anything they have encountered over the past two weeks."When you play them," Painter said about the Hokies, "you know you better bring your lunch pail."
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