Chucky Hepburn scores 15 as No. 19 Louisville holds off Virginia Tech 71-66
AP
Feb 25, 2025
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) Chucky Hepburn scored 15 points to lead No. 19 Louisville Cardinals to a 71-66 victory over Virginia Tech Hokies on Tuesday night.
Hepburn connected on just 5 of 12 from the floor, but hit all four of his free-throw attempts and added six assists for the Cardinals (22-6, 15-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), who won their sixth straight and for the 16th time in 17 games.
Brandon Rechsteiner led Virginia Tech (12-16, 7-10) with 18 points.
Louisville, which led by as many as 11 in the second half and never trailed, saw Virginia Tech cut the lead to 67-66 on a short jumper by Rechsteiner with 1:49 to play. But the Hokies did not score again, turning the ball over on two of their final three possessions.
The Cardinals used a dunk by James Scott and two free throws by Reyne Smith in the final minute to hold off the Hokies.
Scott and Terrence Edwards Jr. each finished with 13 points for the Cardinals, who forced 22 turnovers.
Louisville: Arguably the surprise team in the ACC, the Cardinals registered their ninth road win of the season and still have an outside shot at the top seed in the ACC Tournament. They have three winnable games - all at home - to close the regular season.
Virginia Tech: The Hokies have lost three of their past four games, and barring a late-season run, will suffer their first losing season in 10 years.
With Louisville leading 67-66, Scott grabbed a missed shot by Hepburn and dunked the ball with 59 seconds remaining.
The Hokies’ 22 turnovers were their second most on the season, and Louisville took advantage, scoring 26 points off those turnovers.
Louisville is at home against Pittsburgh on Saturday, while Virginia Tech hosts Syracuse on Saturday.
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1st Half
LOU
Cardinals
34
VT
Hokies
26
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
(Hokies gains possession)
19:47
Ben Hammond turnover (Terrence Edwards Jr. steals)
19:25
+2
J'Vonne Hadley makes two point layup
2-0
19:02
Tobi Lawal turnover (Chucky Hepburn steals)
18:39
Terrence Edwards Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Tyler Johnson steals)
18:30
Tobi Lawal turnover (traveling)
18:17
+3
J'Vonne Hadley makes three point jump shot (James Scott assists)
5-0
17:47
Ben Hammond misses two point jump shot
17:45
Terrence Edwards Jr. defensive rebound
17:30
+2
James Scott makes two point dunk (Terrence Edwards Jr. assists)
7-0
17:08
Ben Hammond turnover (Reyne Smith steals)
17:02
+2
Terrence Edwards Jr. makes two point layup (Chucky Hepburn assists)
9-0
16:44
Tyler Johnson turnover (Chucky Hepburn steals)
16:39
+2
Chucky Hepburn makes two point layup
11-0
16:39
Hokies 30 second timeout
16:15
Jaydon Young misses two point layup
16:13
J'Vonne Hadley defensive rebound
16:04
J'Vonne Hadley turnover (lost ball)
15:58
Ben Burnham turnover (bad pass)
15:45
Terrence Edwards Jr. misses two point layup
15:43
Patrick Wessler defensive rebound
15:31
+3
Ben Burnham makes three point jump shot (Brandon Rechsteiner assists)
11-3
15:18
+2
Reyne Smith makes two point layup
13-3
15:01
Brandon Rechsteiner misses three point jump shot
14:59
J'Vonne Hadley defensive rebound
14:45
Chucky Hepburn misses three point jump shot
14:43
Jaydon Young defensive rebound
14:33
Jaden Schutt misses three point jump shot
14:31
J'Vonne Hadley defensive rebound
14:24
+3
Reyne Smith makes three point jump shot (J'Vonne Hadley assists)
16-3
13:56
+3
Ben Burnham makes three point jump shot (Jaydon Young assists)
16-6
13:27
+2
James Scott makes two point dunk (Terrence Edwards Jr. assists)
18-6
13:08
Brandon Rechsteiner turnover (bad pass)
13:08
TV timeout
12:50
Reyne Smith misses three point jump shot
12:48
Hokies defensive rebound
12:35
+3
Brandon Rechsteiner makes three point jump shot (Jaydon Young assists)
18-9
12:16
+2
Noah Waterman makes two point layup (Aboubacar Traore assists)
20-9
12:00
Brandon Rechsteiner misses three point jump shot
11:58
Noah Waterman defensive rebound
11:54
TV timeout
11:32
Chucky Hepburn misses two point jump shot
11:30
Brandon Rechsteiner defensive rebound
11:06
Tobi Lawal turnover (Khani Rooths steals)
10:57
Khani Rooths misses two point layup
10:55
Hokies defensive rebound
10:55
Aboubacar Traore personal foul
10:42
+3
Brandon Rechsteiner makes three point jump shot
20-12
10:28
Chucky Hepburn turnover (Tyler Johnson steals)
10:17
Chucky Hepburn personal foul
10:11
+2
Tyler Johnson makes two point layup
20-14
10:11
Aboubacar Traore shooting foul (Tyler Johnson draws the foul)
10:11
Tyler Johnson misses regular free throw 1 of 1
10:11
Aboubacar Traore defensive rebound
10:01
Terrence Edwards Jr. turnover (lost ball)
9:51
+3
Jaydon Young makes three point jump shot (Brandon Rechsteiner assists)
20-17
9:38
Reyne Smith misses three point jump shot
9:36
Patrick Wessler defensive rebound
9:10
Tyler Johnson misses two point layup
9:08
Aboubacar Traore defensive rebound
9:00
Terrence Edwards Jr. misses three point jump shot
8:58
James Scott offensive rebound
8:55
Tyler Johnson personal foul
8:46
Connor Serven personal foul
8:41
Chucky Hepburn misses three point jump shot
8:39
Connor Serven defensive rebound
8:24
Tobi Lawal misses two point jump shot
8:22
James Scott defensive rebound
8:09
Terrence Edwards Jr. misses two point jump shot
8:07
James Scott offensive rebound
8:03
James Scott misses two point layup
8:01
Brandon Rechsteiner defensive rebound
7:54
Tyler Johnson misses three point jump shot
7:52
Connor Serven offensive rebound
7:47
Connor Serven turnover (Reyne Smith steals)
7:40
+2
Chucky Hepburn makes two point jump shot
22-17
7:27
+2
Brandon Rechsteiner makes two point jump shot
22-19
7:02
Chucky Hepburn misses two point layup
7:00
Brandon Rechsteiner defensive rebound
6:57
Brandon Rechsteiner turnover (bad pass)
6:57
TV timeout
6:39
+2
J'Vonne Hadley makes two point layup (Reyne Smith assists)
24-19
6:23
Tobi Lawal misses three point jump shot
6:21
Noah Waterman defensive rebound
6:14
Tobi Lawal blocks Terrence Edwards Jr.'s two point layup
6:12
Ben Burnham defensive rebound
5:59
Ben Burnham misses three point jump shot
5:57
J'Vonne Hadley defensive rebound
5:37
J'Vonne Hadley misses two point layup
5:35
Tyler Johnson defensive rebound
5:23
Ben Burnham misses two point layup
5:21
Noah Waterman defensive rebound
5:13
J'Vonne Hadley misses three point jump shot
5:09
Hokies defensive rebound
4:54
Brandon Rechsteiner turnover
4:50
+2
Terrence Edwards Jr. makes two point layup (J'Vonne Hadley assists)
26-19
4:50
Connor Serven shooting foul (Terrence Edwards Jr. draws the foul)
4:50
+1
Terrence Edwards Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 1
27-19
4:40
Brandon Rechsteiner misses two point jump shot
4:38
Connor Serven offensive rebound
4:35
Connor Serven misses two point layup
4:33
Khani Rooths defensive rebound
4:28
+2
Chucky Hepburn makes two point layup
29-19
4:07
Ben Burnham misses three point jump shot
4:05
Chucky Hepburn defensive rebound
3:49
Khani Rooths misses three point jump shot
3:47
Jaydon Young defensive rebound
3:34
+2
Ben Burnham makes two point dunk
29-21
3:04
+2
J'Vonne Hadley makes two point layup
31-21
2:42
+3
Brandon Rechsteiner makes three point jump shot
31-24
2:30
Brandon Rechsteiner personal foul
2:30
TV timeout
2:24
Terrence Edwards Jr. misses three point jump shot
2:22
Noah Waterman offensive rebound
2:05
+3
Chucky Hepburn makes three point jump shot
34-24
1:47
Terrence Edwards Jr. personal foul
1:39
Noah Waterman shooting foul (Brandon Rechsteiner draws the foul)
1:39
+1
Brandon Rechsteiner makes regular free throw 1 of 2
34-25
1:39
+1
Brandon Rechsteiner makes regular free throw 2 of 2
34-26
1:26
Jaydon Young personal foul
1:23
Reyne Smith misses three point jump shot
1:21
Ben Hammond defensive rebound
0:52
Hokies turnover (shot clock violation)
0:39
Patrick Wessler shooting foul (James Scott draws the foul)
0:39
James Scott misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:39
James Scott misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:39
Patrick Wessler defensive rebound
0:10
Patrick Wessler misses two point jump shot
0:08
J'Vonne Hadley defensive rebound
0:03
J'Vonne Hadley turnover (Tobi Lawal steals)
0:01
Jaydon Young misses three point jump shot
0:00
Hokies offensive rebound
0:00
End of period
2nd Half
LOU
Cardinals
37
VT
Hokies
40
Time
Team
Play
Score
19:42
Ben Hammond personal foul
19:36
Chucky Hepburn turnover (Tobi Lawal steals)
19:17
Jaden Schutt misses two point jump shot
19:15
J'Vonne Hadley defensive rebound
19:06
+2
Reyne Smith makes two point layup (James Scott assists)
36-26
18:42
Jaden Schutt turnover
18:36
Terrence Edwards Jr. turnover (Ben Hammond steals)
18:27
Tobi Lawal misses two point layup
18:25
Patrick Wessler offensive rebound
18:19
+2
Patrick Wessler makes two point layup
36-28
18:12
+2
James Scott makes two point dunk (Terrence Edwards Jr. assists)
38-28
17:52
+2
Patrick Wessler makes two point layup (Tobi Lawal assists)
38-30
17:36
Chucky Hepburn misses two point layup
17:34
Tobi Lawal defensive rebound
17:19
James Scott personal foul
17:08
Jaden Schutt misses three point jump shot
17:06
J'Vonne Hadley defensive rebound
16:58
Noah Waterman misses three point jump shot
16:56
Jaden Schutt defensive rebound
16:44
+2
Ben Hammond makes two point jump shot
38-32
16:34
J'Vonne Hadley misses two point layup
16:32
Ben Burnham defensive rebound
16:22
Ben Hammond turnover (J'Vonne Hadley steals)
16:15
+2
J'Vonne Hadley makes two point layup
40-32
15:55
+2
Tyler Johnson makes two point layup (Ben Burnham assists)
40-34
15:48
Terrence Edwards Jr. misses three point jump shot
15:46
Tobi Lawal defensive rebound
15:34
Ben Burnham misses two point jump shot
15:32
Terrence Edwards Jr. defensive rebound
15:26
Reyne Smith misses three point jump shot
15:24
Cardinals offensive rebound
15:23
TV timeout
15:18
+2
James Scott makes two point dunk (Chucky Hepburn assists)
42-34
15:06
Chucky Hepburn personal foul
14:58
Jaydon Young misses three point jump shot
14:56
Connor Serven offensive rebound
14:50
Connor Serven misses two point layup
14:48
James Scott defensive rebound
14:43
+2
Aboubacar Traore makes two point layup
44-34
14:22
Noah Waterman shooting foul (Tyler Johnson draws the foul)
14:22
+1
Tyler Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2
44-35
14:22
+1
Tyler Johnson makes regular free throw 2 of 2
44-36
14:07
+3
Noah Waterman makes three point jump shot (Chucky Hepburn assists)
47-36
13:42
Ben Burnham misses three point jump shot
13:40
Ben Burnham offensive rebound
13:28
+3
Jaydon Young makes three point jump shot
47-39
13:18
Brandon Rechsteiner personal foul
13:10
+2
Aboubacar Traore makes two point jump shot
49-39
13:10
Jaydon Young shooting foul (Aboubacar Traore draws the foul)
13:10
+1
Aboubacar Traore makes regular free throw 1 of 1
50-39
12:53
Tyler Johnson turnover (Aboubacar Traore steals)
12:48
Aboubacar Traore misses two point layup
12:46
Patrick Wessler defensive rebound
12:34
+3
Ben Burnham makes three point jump shot (Brandon Rechsteiner assists)
50-42
12:18
Terrence Edwards Jr. misses two point jump shot
12:16
Tyler Johnson defensive rebound
12:03
+3
Tyler Johnson makes three point jump shot (Brandon Rechsteiner assists)
50-45
11:53
Cardinals 30 second timeout
11:53
TV timeout
11:45
Reyne Smith misses three point jump shot
11:43
Tyler Johnson defensive rebound
11:34
Ben Burnham misses three point jump shot
11:32
Tyler Johnson offensive rebound
11:31
+2
Tyler Johnson makes two point layup
50-47
11:31
Chucky Hepburn shooting foul (Tyler Johnson draws the foul)
11:31
TV timeout
11:31
+1
Tyler Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 1
50-48
11:19
+2
James Scott makes two point dunk (Chucky Hepburn assists)
52-48
11:19
Patrick Wessler shooting foul (James Scott draws the foul)
11:19
+1
James Scott makes regular free throw 1 of 1
53-48
11:08
+2
Jaydon Young makes two point jump shot
53-50
10:45
Patrick Wessler blocks Chucky Hepburn's two point jump shot
10:43
Brandon Rechsteiner defensive rebound
10:33
+3
Jaydon Young makes three point jump shot (Ben Burnham assists)
53-53
10:06
Ben Burnham blocks J'Vonne Hadley's two point layup
