Virginia Tech pulls away from No. 21 Virginia in triple overtime for 95-85 win
AP
Jan 01, 2026
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) Ben Hammond scored a career-high 30 points to lift Virginia Tech Hokies to a 95-85 triple-overtime victory against No. 21 Virginia Cavaliers on Wednesday.
Hammond, who came off the bench, made just 7 of 16 from the floor, but hit 16 of 18 from the free-throw line for the Hokies (12-2, 1-0 Atlantic Coast), who have won four games in overtime this season.
Malik Thomas had 26 points for the Cavaliers (11-2, 0-1), who had their six-game winning streak end. Thijs De Ridder scored 22.
There were 17 ties and 20 lead changes in the game. Hammond scored eight points in the third overtime, sparking a 10-1 run that helped the Hokies build a nine-point lead and pull away.
Both teams squandered opportunities to end the game much sooner.
At the end of regulation, both teams missed shots in the final 30 seconds that would have won the game. Then in the first overtime, Virginia led 68-66, but the Hokies’ Christian Gurdak scored on a dunk with about four seconds remaining to force another overtime.
In the second overtime, Virginia Tech led 75-70 with less than 15 seconds remaining. Thomas scored six points on back-to-back possessions before Chance Mallory’s putback at the buzzer tied the game at 78.
Hammond carried the Hokies, who played without injured starters Tobi Lawal and Tyler Johnson and shot just 35% from the floor. Amani Hansberry, Neoklis Avdalas, and Gurdak each had 17 points.
The Cavaliers shot a season-low 36% from the floor, including 10 of 45 on 3-point attempts.
Virginia: Visits N.C. State on Saturday.
Virginia Tech: Visits Wake Forest on Saturday.
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1st Half
UVA
Cavaliers
24
VT
Hokies
23
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
(Cavaliers gains possession)
19:34
+2
Thijs De Ridder makes two point layup
2-0
19:09
Jailen Bedford turnover (lost ball)
19:02
Amani Hansberry shooting foul (Malik Thomas draws the foul)
19:02
+1
Malik Thomas makes regular free throw 1 of 2
3-0
19:02
+1
Malik Thomas makes regular free throw 2 of 2
4-0
18:48
Neoklis Avdalas misses two point layup
18:47
Devin Tillis personal foul
18:37
Johann Grunloh blocks Amani Hansberry's two point hook shot
18:35
Thijs De Ridder defensive rebound
18:29
Thijs De Ridder turnover (lost ball) (Amani Hansberry steals)
18:02
Neoklis Avdalas misses two point jump shot
18:00
Malik Thomas defensive rebound
17:54
Malik Thomas misses two point layup
17:52
Amani Hansberry defensive rebound
17:43
+2
Neoklis Avdalas makes two point jump shot
4-2
17:10
Johann Grunloh misses two point jump shot
17:09
Cavaliers turnover (shot clock violation)
16:44
Amani Hansberry misses two point jump shot
16:42
Christian Gurdak offensive rebound
16:40
+2
Christian Gurdak makes two point layup
4-4
16:21
Sam Lewis misses three point jump shot
16:19
Jailen Bedford defensive rebound
16:11
+3
Neoklis Avdalas makes three point jump shot (Amani Hansberry assists)
4-7
15:59
Johann Grunloh misses three point jump shot
15:57
Neoklis Avdalas defensive rebound
15:44
Neoklis Avdalas turnover (bad pass) (Dallin Hall steals)
15:42
Johann Grunloh turnover (traveling)
15:42
TV timeout
15:32
Jailen Bedford misses three point jump shot
15:30
Malik Thomas defensive rebound
15:24
Sam Lewis misses two point layup
15:22
Amani Hansberry defensive rebound
15:16
Ugonna Onyenso blocks Jailen Bedford's two point layup
15:14
Sam Lewis defensive rebound
15:09
Thijs De Ridder misses three point jump shot
15:07
Chance Mallory offensive rebound
15:02
Malik Thomas misses three point jump shot
15:00
Sam Lewis offensive rebound
14:57
Sam Lewis misses two point layup
14:55
Christian Gurdak defensive rebound
14:52
Thijs De Ridder blocks Amani Hansberry's two point layup
14:50
Christian Gurdak offensive rebound
14:50
+2
Christian Gurdak makes two point layup
4-9
14:50
Ugonna Onyenso shooting foul (Christian Gurdak draws the foul)
14:50
Christian Gurdak misses regular free throw 1 of 1
14:50
Sam Lewis defensive rebound
14:27
Sam Lewis misses three point jump shot
14:25
Hokies defensive rebound
14:04
Ugonna Onyenso shooting foul (Amani Hansberry draws the foul)
14:04
+1
Amani Hansberry makes regular free throw 1 of 2
4-10
14:04
+1
Amani Hansberry makes regular free throw 2 of 2
4-11
13:43
Dallin Hall turnover (bad pass)
13:19
Neoklis Avdalas misses three point jump shot
13:17
Amani Hansberry offensive rebound
13:15
+2
Amani Hansberry makes two point layup
4-13
12:52
+3
Devin Tillis makes three point jump shot (Dallin Hall assists)
7-13
12:23
Neoklis Avdalas misses three point jump shot
12:21
Devin Tillis defensive rebound
12:06
Chance Mallory misses three point jump shot
12:04
Ben Hammond defensive rebound
11:52
Ben Hammond misses two point jump shot
11:50
Amani Hansberry offensive rebound
11:48
Amani Hansberry turnover (bad pass) (Dallin Hall steals)
11:43
Dallin Hall misses three point jump shot
11:41
Ben Hammond defensive rebound
11:18
Amani Hansberry misses three point jump shot
11:15
Cavaliers defensive rebound
11:15
TV timeout
11:03
Devin Tillis misses three point jump shot
11:01
Christian Gurdak defensive rebound
10:36
Ben Hammond misses two point layup
10:34
Johann Grunloh defensive rebound
10:28
Thijs De Ridder offensive foul
10:28
Thijs De Ridder turnover (offensive foul)
10:09
Christian Gurdak misses two point hook shot
10:07
Devin Tillis defensive rebound
9:55
Ben Hammond personal foul
9:49
Thijs De Ridder misses three point jump shot
9:47
Amani Hansberry defensive rebound
9:36
Amani Hansberry turnover (traveling)
9:20
+2
Johann Grunloh makes two point layup (Thijs De Ridder assists)
9-13
8:59
+2
Ben Hammond makes two point layup
9-15
8:39
Sin'Cere Jones personal foul
8:24
+2
Johann Grunloh makes two point layup (Thijs De Ridder assists)
11-15
8:01
Jaden Schutt turnover (lost ball)
7:46
Malik Thomas misses three point jump shot
7:44
Christian Gurdak defensive rebound
7:30
Jaden Schutt misses three point jump shot
7:28
Thijs De Ridder defensive rebound
7:27
Thijs De Ridder turnover (bad pass) (Ben Hammond steals)
7:21
Amani Hansberry misses two point layup
7:19
Thijs De Ridder defensive rebound
7:18
Jaden Schutt shooting foul
7:18
TV timeout
7:18
+1
Malik Thomas makes regular free throw 1 of 2
12-15
7:18
Malik Thomas misses regular free throw 2 of 2
7:18
Neoklis Avdalas defensive rebound
6:55
Jaden Schutt misses two point jump shot
6:53
Ben Hammond offensive rebound
6:49
+3
Neoklis Avdalas makes three point jump shot (Ben Hammond assists)
12-18
6:22
+2
Ugonna Onyenso makes two point layup (Sam Lewis assists)
14-18
6:05
Malik Thomas blocks Jaden Schutt's two point jump shot
6:03
Sam Lewis defensive rebound
5:51
Sam Lewis misses two point jump shot
5:49
Jaden Schutt defensive rebound
5:36
Ben Hammond misses two point jump shot
5:34
Sam Lewis defensive rebound
5:24
+2
Ugonna Onyenso makes two point dunk (Chance Mallory assists)
16-18
5:05
+3
Jaden Schutt makes three point jump shot (Neoklis Avdalas assists)
16-21
4:48
Malik Thomas turnover (lost ball) (Jaden Schutt steals)
4:42
Jaden Schutt misses three point jump shot
4:40
Amani Hansberry offensive rebound
4:36
Neoklis Avdalas misses three point jump shot
4:34
Chance Mallory defensive rebound
4:22
Chance Mallory misses two point jump shot
4:20
Amani Hansberry defensive rebound
4:02
+2
Christian Gurdak makes two point layup (Amani Hansberry assists)
16-23
3:49
Elijah Gertrude misses three point jump shot
3:47
Jailen Bedford defensive rebound
3:36
Jailen Bedford misses two point jump shot
3:34
Devin Tillis defensive rebound
3:27
+3
Thijs De Ridder makes three point jump shot (Devin Tillis assists)
19-23
3:03
Christian Gurdak offensive foul
3:03
Christian Gurdak turnover (offensive foul)
3:03
TV timeout
2:33
Izaiah Pasha blocks Elijah Gertrude's three point jump shot
2:31
Devin Tillis offensive rebound
2:29
Devin Tillis misses two point layup
2:27
Johann Grunloh offensive rebound
2:23
+2
Johann Grunloh makes two point layup
21-23
2:05
Amani Hansberry misses two point jump shot
2:03
Devin Tillis defensive rebound
1:54
Dallin Hall misses three point jump shot
1:52
Christian Gurdak defensive rebound
1:31
Neoklis Avdalas misses three point jump shot
1:29
Johann Grunloh defensive rebound
1:08
+3
Johann Grunloh makes three point jump shot (Devin Tillis assists)
24-23
0:40
Amani Hansberry misses two point jump shot
0:38
Devin Tillis defensive rebound
0:29
Cavaliers 30 second timeout
0:12
Johann Grunloh misses three point jump shot
0:10
Dallin Hall offensive rebound
0:02
Devin Tillis misses two point hook shot
0:00
Jaden Schutt defensive rebound
0:00
End of period
2nd Half
UVA
Cavaliers
31
VT
Hokies
32
Time
Team
Play
Score
19:49
+3
Jailen Bedford makes three point jump shot (Christian Gurdak assists)
24-26
19:30
Thijs De Ridder misses two point hook shot
19:28
Christian Gurdak defensive rebound
19:17
Sam Lewis personal foul (Neoklis Avdalas draws the foul)
19:17
Neoklis Avdalas turnover (bad pass) (Dallin Hall steals)
19:10
Thijs De Ridder turnover (traveling)
18:54
+2
Neoklis Avdalas makes two point jump shot
24-28
18:45
Jaden Schutt personal foul (Malik Thomas draws the foul)
18:30
+2
Malik Thomas makes two point jump shot
26-28
18:05
Johann Grunloh shooting foul (Amani Hansberry draws the foul)
18:05
Amani Hansberry misses regular free throw 1 of 2
18:05
Amani Hansberry misses regular free throw 2 of 2
18:05
Johann Grunloh defensive rebound
17:47
+3
Devin Tillis makes three point jump shot (Dallin Hall assists)
29-28
17:22
Neoklis Avdalas misses two point jump shot
17:20
Christian Gurdak offensive rebound
17:13
Jailen Bedford misses two point layup
17:11
Amani Hansberry offensive rebound
17:09
Johann Grunloh blocks Amani Hansberry's two point layup
17:07
Amani Hansberry offensive rebound
17:07
Johann Grunloh personal foul (Amani Hansberry draws the foul)
16:51
Amani Hansberry misses three point jump shot
16:48
Hokies offensive rebound
16:48
Official timeout
16:47
Devin Tillis personal foul (Jaden Schutt draws the foul)
16:27
+3
Amani Hansberry makes three point jump shot (Neoklis Avdalas assists)
29-31
16:06
Jailen Bedford personal foul (Chance Mallory draws the foul)
16:02
Malik Thomas misses three point jump shot
16:00
Chance Mallory offensive rebound
15:57
+2
Chance Mallory makes two point layup
31-31
15:37
Jaden Schutt misses two point jump shot
15:36
Cavaliers defensive rebound
15:35
TV timeout
15:27
+2
Chance Mallory makes two point layup
33-31
15:13
Thijs De Ridder personal foul (Amani Hansberry draws the foul)
15:06
Dallin Hall shooting foul (Neoklis Avdalas draws the foul)
15:06
Neoklis Avdalas misses regular free throw 1 of 2
15:06
Neoklis Avdalas misses regular free throw 2 of 2
15:06
Thijs De Ridder defensive rebound
14:54
Ugonna Onyenso misses three point jump shot
14:52
Dallin Hall offensive rebound
14:52
Jaden Schutt personal foul (Dallin Hall draws the foul)
14:49
Jailen Bedford personal foul (Dallin Hall draws the foul)
14:47
Devin Tillis misses three point jump shot
14:47
Thijs De Ridder personal foul (Amani Hansberry draws the foul)