Tech Turns Over ACC Opener at Wake, 77-75

First, the Hokies did everything they could to lose, giving Wake Forest 20 first half points off of turnovers. Then, they did everything they could to win, turning a nine-point halftime deficit into a late game 8-point lead. But in the final 1:22, Tech fans experienced that same feeling they had on that October night in Lane Stadium after Matt Ryan’s two touchdown passes.

Wake Forest guard Ishmael Smith sank a pull-up jumper from 18 feet with .6 seconds left for the game winner. David Weaver intercepted Deron Washington’s Hail Mary to Jeff Allen and the Demon Deacons won a shocker.

“We went four corners and he (Smith) just made a big time play, a few very big plays down the stretch,” remarked Wake Forest coach Dino Gaudio.

Wake Forest shot 0-12 from beyond the arc in the second half before Smith sank one at 1:17 and then teammate Gary Clark banked one in with only 50 seconds remaining to tie the game. It was Clark’s only shot of the game as he only played three total minutes.

“I’m very happy for him, albeit he banked it in. But he’s just worked and worked and worked and when the opportunity presented itself, he hit a big shot for us,” added Gaudio.

Tech coach Seth Greenberg was proud of his players’ comeback efforts but disappointed in how the game wrapped up down the stretch.

“I don’t know if you can defend a banker. I don’t know if you can defend a drag-screen where a guy has a guy running in front of him. We made a bad decision offensively, plain and simple. We didn’t use the clock. We didn’t understand time and score,” explained Greenberg.

With 1:10 left to play and a five-point lead, junior A.D. Vassallo took a rushed three pointer instead of working down the clock. Despite Coach Greenberg’s reaction on the sideline, when asked about the decision after the game he insisted that “we lost the game as a team” adding that they wouldn’t have been in that situation in the first place if it wasn’t for Vassallo’s 19 points and 11 rebounds.

Tech’s turnovers and free throw shooting were the two most glaring statistics of the season in both a negative and positive way. The Hokies had 14 turnovers in the first half and finished with 22. Their season high before this game was against Gonzaga and at Old Dominion when they finished with 16. Wake Forest took advantage of the opportunity and converted 27 points off turnovers compared to the Hokies’ 10.

If the Hokies can take anything positive away from such a heartbreaking loss, it would have to be their free throw shooting. Tech was shooting one of the league’s worst free throw averages at 66 percent, however, made 29-32 from the line in this game. In contrast, Wake shot 55 percent.

The Hokies next travel to New York to play in a holiday tournament at the world famous Madison Square Garden. They lead off with Hofstra on Friday, Dec. 28 and then play the winner of a St. John’s vs. Marist game. After that, the Hokies travel to Richmond to play the Spiders on the day of the Orange Bowl (Jan. 3) at 6 p.m..