Collegiate Times

Basketball vs UNC Center

Improving its home record to a perfect 11-0 on the season, the men’s basketball team defeated the reigning national champion North Carolina Tar Heels Thursday night 74-70.

“It’s North Carolina, man,” Tech head coach Seth Greenberg said. “They don’t even retire your number unless you’re like the national player of the year. This team beat Michigan State and played Texas right down to the wire. They’ve got eight McDonald’s All-Americans. It’s a good program win.”

Ignited by a three-pointer by Dorenzo Hudson in the opening seconds of the game on the team’s first possession, Tech maintained a lead over the Tar Heels for over twelve-straight minutes of play in the first half, going up by as many as twelve points at one stage before North Carolina notched a 7-0 run to tie at the 7:20 mark.

The game was kept closer from thereon out with the Hokies leading by single-digits for most of the second half. A layup by Carolina guard Larry Drew II with 1:09 to play cut the lead to two but the Hokies held on, hitting five of six free-throws in the final minute of play.

“I thought we were a determined group tonight,” Greenberg said. “We stayed together and stayed the course.” 

Guard Malcolm Delaney led the Hokies with 21 points. Hudson contributed with 17 points while Terrell Bell grabbed 11 rebounds in the contest.

Despite hitting four of fourteen field goal attempts, forward Jeff Allen finished with 14 points to go with his seven boards.

“I thought Jeff Allen was just so tough, careful, and physical,” Greenberg said. “He got to the rim and finished. I was so impressed with his maturity tonight. I thought he played with great composure and a great sense of purpose.”

As a team, the Hokies shot 43.4 percent from the field and 26.7 from beyond the arc. Defensively, the Hokies forced 19 Carolina turnovers. Five Tech players ended the game with four fouls.

Forwards Ed Davis produced 15 points for the Tar Heels in the game while esteemed freshman forward John Henson chipped-in with a season-high 14 points.

The Tech win snaps a five-game losing streak against the Tar Heels and comes three and half weeks after the Hokies lost to Carolina in Chapel Hill 78-64 in the teams’ conference opener.

The Hokies’ record progresses to 17-4 overall and 4-3 in conference while Carolina drops to 13-10 and 2-6 in the ACC.

“I don’t care,” Allen said in regard to the caliber of his opponent. “They’re still Carolina.”

Tech will host Clemson at 4 p.m. on Saturday.