Collegiate Times

Tech forward Cadarian Raines attempts to block a shot Saturday.

Despite a horrid first-half shooting performance, the Virginia Tech men’s basketball team played suffocating defense and made clutch free throws to defeat the Clemson Tigers, 70-59, Saturday at Cassell Coliseum.

The Hokies improved to 18-4 overall and 5-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The win also marked Tech’s 1,300th win in program history.

“It was a typical Clemson-Virginia Tech game,” head coach Seth Greenberg said. “Not aesthetically attractive, but obviously great intensity and a great sense of urgency on the defensive end.”

Junior guard Malcolm Delaney played all 40 minutes and finished with 30 points, five rebounds and two steals. He was 20-for-23 at the free-throw line, which tied the school record for free throws made.

In total, Tech shot 46 free throws and made 38. The Hokies’ ability to draw fouls and create mismatches undoubtedly propelled them to victory.

“I guess the practice facility paid some dividends,” Greenberg said, “because we were 38-for-46 from the line, and we probably shot more free throws this year than we’ve ever shot.”

Greenberg requires each player to make 100 free throws at practice.

“We actually have baskets,” Greenberg said. “It’s hard to have everyone make 100 free throws when you practiced in the Cassell and you had two baskets. It’s pretty easy when you have eight baskets. You can get through that in about 20 minutes.”

One of the mismatches was Delaney versus Clemson forward Trevor Booker. Booker, considered one of the best players in the ACC, struggled with foul trouble — two fouls were caused directly by Delaney’s fake shot.

“I know they’re an aggressive team and like to block shots,” Delaney said. “I took it upon myself to get Booker in foul trouble. I know he likes to block shots. I shot one and he jumped from almost the free throw line to block it, so I said, ‘Next time I’m going to pump fake him.’ He jumped. I just outsmart people.”

The Hokies held Booker to just seven points, which is eight points fewer than his season average of 15.4.

“We made a choice,” Greenberg said. “Pick your poison. Obviously (David) Potter had a pretty good game, but we didn’t want Booker to get going because he’s such an emotional leader for their team. Guarding him for 23 minutes sure is a lot better than having to guard him for 40 because that guy is a beast.”

“Coach Greenberg’s strategy (helped us win),” junior forward Terrell Bell said. “He always comes up with something new and good for us. We work on it in practice as hard as we can. Double down on Booker and get a feel for what he’s going to do. Once he started passing out, we adjusted to it. I think that helped us, and we got big rebounds.”

Things didn’t start out as well as Tech would have liked. Clemson bolted out to a 9-1 lead on the strength of good in-the-paint defense and Tech foul trouble.

It took Tech almost eight minutes to score its first field goal, and it finished its first half 4-for-26 in shooting.

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A version of this article appeared in the Feb 9 issue of the Collegiate Times.