Virginia Tech Battled But No. 4 Duke Pulls Away for a 72–58 victory (1-31-26)
By: Joey Raymond
Headline Photo Credit: Virginia Tech Basketball
Blacksburg, VA – Virginia Tech’s Cassell Coliseum hosted a gritty ACC battle Saturday afternoon, but No. 4 Duke ultimately proved too strong, handing the Hokies a 72–58 loss in front of a fired-up home crowd. After an early stretch of sloppy possessions on both ends, Duke found its rhythm as an efficient offense and stingy defense stretched what could’ve been a close first half into a 40–31 lead at the break.
Duke’s offensive attack was anchored by Cameron Boozer, who delivered a dominant performance with 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists on 9-of-12 shooting — a stat line that underscored just how difficult he was to slow all afternoon. While the Blue Devils cooled off from three overall (5-of-21 as a team), they offset that struggle by controlling the paint and moving the ball efficiently, finishing with 46 points in the paint and 15 assists as a unit.
Virginia Tech never backed down, showing resilience all afternoon behind a balanced offensive effort. Amani Hansberry led the Hokies with 20 points, tying his career high in made three-pointers and knocking down multiple deep balls to keep VT competitive early. Jailen Bedford (12) and Ben Hammond (11) also reached double figures, spearheading a second-half push that trimmed the Duke lead to just six with about six minutes remaining.
The Hokies’ defense tightened after intermission, limiting Duke to 43% shooting in the second halfafter allowing a blistering 62% in the first. But Tech was unable to sustain a consistent offense down the stretch — enduring a crucial five-minute scoring drought that allowed Duke to rebuild separation.
Despite the loss, Virginia Tech’s effort was marked by energy and fight. Sophomore big man Tobi Lawal set a career-high with three steals, showcasing hustle and activity on the defensive end. At the same time, Hansberry’s perimeter shooting offered a needed spark when Tech needed baskets most.
For Duke, the victory extended its ACC dominance — marking a ninth straight win and keeping the Blue Devils unbeaten in conference play. Their depth showed as contributions came from multiple players, including Isaiah Evans (11), Maliq Brown (11), and Cayden Boozer (6), who rounded out a balanced attack.
The final stretch saw Duke’s poise shine through as Boozer drilled a dagger three with just over a minute left to effectively seal the win, prompting fans to begin exiting Cassell Coliseum as Duke ran out the clock.
With the result, Virginia Tech falls to 16–7 overall and 5–5 in ACC play and will enjoy an upcoming open date before hitting the road at NC State on February 7. Duke improves to 20–1 (9–0 ACC), remaining atop the conference with eyes set on postseason positioning.
