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McKneely scores 22 points to lead Virginia to 73-70 win over Virgnia Tech

AP
Feb 15, 2025

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) Isaac McKneely scored 22 points and reserve Anthony Robinson scored 15 points and Virginia held off Virginia Tech 73-70 on Saturday.

Dai Dai Ames added 11 points for Virginia (13-12, 6-8 ACC). It was Virginia's first win in Blacksburg since 2020.

Tobi Lawal scored 23 points on 7-for-11 shooting and Ben Hammond scored 11 points for Virginia Tech (11-14, 6-8).

Ben Burnham missed a 3-pointer from the left wing with three seconds left to end it. Virginia Tech's Brandon Rechsteiner also missed a 3 from straight on with 44 seconds left which would have tied it. The Hokies had their final chance to tie it when Virginia's McKneely with a 3 attempt with 12 seconds remaining.

McKneely's 3 with 7:53 left gave Virginia a 62-53 before the Hokies mounted their comeback.

Elijah Saunders' 3-pointer with 6:38 left before halftime gave Virginia its largest lead of the first half at 32-17. During an eight-minute stretch, Virginia outscored the Hokies 22-9.

After Saunders' basket, Lawal threw down a dunk with 5:14 to go and the play ignited a Virginia Tech as they proceeded to outscore the Cavaliers 16-8 for the rest of the half to get with 40-33 at halftime.

During that stretch, Virginia failed to register a field goal in a nearly four-minute span.

UVA now owns a 99-61 advantage in the all-time series, which dates back to Feb. 20, 1915.

The season series had been split with each team winning on its home court the last three years. The Hokies snapped that streak with a 75-74 win in Charlottesville two weeks ago. It was their first win in Charlottesville since 2018.

Virginia hosts third-ranked Duke on Monday. Virginia Tech travels to Boston College to face the Eagles on Tuesday.

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1st Half
UVA
Cavaliers
40
VT
Hokies
33

Time		Play	Score
19:38	+2	Jacob Cofie makes two point jump shot (Andrew Rohde assists)	2-0
19:12		(Cavaliers gains possession)
19:38	+2	Jacob Cofie makes two point jump shot (Andrew Rohde assists)	2-0
19:12	+2	Mylyjael Poteat makes two point dunk (Tobi Lawal assists)	2-2
18:52		Jacob Cofie misses two point jump shot
18:50		Tobi Lawal defensive rebound
18:24		Tobi Lawal misses two point jump shot
18:22		Blake Buchanan defensive rebound
18:08		Andrew Rohde misses three point jump shot
18:06		Mylyjael Poteat defensive rebound
17:46	+2	Tobi Lawal makes two point layup (Ben Hammond assists)	2-4
17:30		Jacob Cofie turnover (Tyler Johnson steals)
17:26		Jacob Cofie shooting foul (Tobi Lawal draws the foul)
17:26	+1	Tobi Lawal makes regular free throw 1 of 2	2-5
17:26		Tobi Lawal misses regular free throw 2 of 2
17:26		Isaac McKneely defensive rebound
17:07	+3	Isaac McKneely makes three point jump shot (Andrew Rohde assists)	5-5
16:48	+2	Tobi Lawal makes two point layup	5-7
16:33		Andrew Rohde misses three point jump shot
16:31		Tobi Lawal defensive rebound
16:18		Jaydon Young misses three point jump shot
16:16		Elijah Saunders defensive rebound
15:58		Isaac McKneely misses three point jump shot
15:56		Anthony Robinson offensive rebound
15:55		Tobi Lawal shooting foul
15:55		TV timeout
15:55	+1	Anthony Robinson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	6-7
15:55	+1	Anthony Robinson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	7-7
15:33		Anthony Robinson blocks Jaydon Young's two point layup
15:31		Hokies offensive rebound
15:26		Jaydon Young misses three point jump shot
15:24		Tyler Johnson offensive rebound
15:20		Tyler Johnson misses two point jump shot
15:18		Andrew Rohde defensive rebound
14:59	+3	Isaac McKneely makes three point jump shot (Andrew Rohde assists)	10-7
14:42		Isaac McKneely shooting foul (Tobi Lawal draws the foul)
14:42	+1	Tobi Lawal makes regular free throw 1 of 2	10-8
14:42		Tobi Lawal misses regular free throw 2 of 2
14:42		Anthony Robinson defensive rebound
14:31	+2	Anthony Robinson makes two point alley-oop dunk (Andrew Rohde assists)	12-8
14:14		Tobi Lawal misses two point layup
14:12		Elijah Saunders defensive rebound
13:57		Connor Serven personal foul
13:49		Elijah Saunders misses three point jump shot
13:47		Jaden Schutt defensive rebound
13:32		Mylyjael Poteat turnover (bad pass)
13:08	+2	Anthony Robinson makes two point layup (Taine Murray assists)	14-8
12:44		Brandon Rechsteiner turnover (bad pass)
12:27	+3	Ishan Sharma makes three point jump shot (Dai Dai Ames assists)	17-8
12:04		Brandon Rechsteiner misses three point jump shot
12:02		Ben Burnham offensive rebound
11:58	+3	Jaden Schutt makes three point jump shot (Ben Burnham assists)	17-11
11:40		Jaden Schutt personal foul
11:40		TV timeout
11:25		Isaac McKneely misses three point jump shot
11:23		Mylyjael Poteat defensive rebound
11:16		Jaydon Young misses three point jump shot
11:14		Andrew Rohde defensive rebound
11:00	+3	Andrew Rohde makes three point jump shot (Dai Dai Ames assists)	20-11
10:39		Jaden Schutt misses two point jump shot
10:37		Andrew Rohde defensive rebound
10:29	+2	Dai Dai Ames makes two point layup (Andrew Rohde assists)	22-11
10:27		Hokies 30 second timeout
10:02	+3	Tobi Lawal makes three point jump shot (Brandon Rechsteiner assists)	22-14
9:33		Jacob Cofie misses two point jump shot
9:31		Ben Hammond defensive rebound
9:09		Tobi Lawal misses two point layup
9:07		Blake Buchanan defensive rebound
8:41	+2	Jacob Cofie makes two point layup (Andrew Rohde assists)	24-14
8:41		Tyler Johnson shooting foul (Jacob Cofie draws the foul)
8:41		Jacob Cofie misses regular free throw 1 of 1
8:41		Tobi Lawal defensive rebound
8:24		Ben Hammond misses two point layup
8:22		Anthony Robinson defensive rebound
8:14		Ishan Sharma misses three point jump shot
8:12		Tobi Lawal defensive rebound
8:07		Brandon Rechsteiner turnover (Jacob Cofie steals)
7:59	+3	Dai Dai Ames makes three point jump shot (Ishan Sharma assists)	27-14
7:28	+2	Tobi Lawal makes two point layup	27-16
7:27		Anthony Robinson shooting foul
7:27		TV timeout
7:27	+1	Tobi Lawal makes regular free throw 1 of 1	27-17
7:15		Ben Burnham blocks Anthony Robinson's two point layup
7:13		Anthony Robinson offensive rebound
7:07	+2	Anthony Robinson makes two point layup	29-17
7:00		Brandon Rechsteiner offensive foul
7:00		Brandon Rechsteiner turnover (offensive foul)
6:41	+3	Elijah Saunders makes three point jump shot (Andrew Rohde assists)	32-17
6:15		Ben Burnham misses three point jump shot
6:13		Hokies offensive rebound
6:06		Jaden Schutt misses three point jump shot
6:04		Isaac McKneely defensive rebound
5:38		Elijah Saunders misses three point jump shot
5:36		Tyler Johnson defensive rebound
5:27		Ben Burnham misses three point jump shot
5:25		Jaden Schutt offensive rebound
5:16	+2	Tobi Lawal makes two point dunk	32-19
4:58		Anthony Robinson offensive foul
4:58		Anthony Robinson turnover (offensive foul)
4:37		Tobi Lawal turnover (Dai Dai Ames steals)
4:36	+2	Dai Dai Ames makes two point layup	34-19
4:23		Jacob Cofie shooting foul (Tobi Lawal draws the foul)
4:23	+1	Tobi Lawal makes regular free throw 1 of 2	34-20
4:23	+1	Tobi Lawal makes regular free throw 2 of 2	34-21
4:15		Andrew Rohde turnover (bad pass)
4:01	+2	Ben Burnham makes two point hook shot	34-23
3:32		Elijah Saunders turnover
3:24	+3	Brandon Rechsteiner makes three point jump shot	34-26
3:22		Cavaliers 30 second timeout
3:22		TV timeout
3:05		Isaac McKneely turnover (Ben Burnham steals)
2:54		Ben Burnham misses two point layup
2:52		Blake Buchanan defensive rebound
2:50		Mylyjael Poteat shooting foul (Blake Buchanan draws the foul)
2:50		Blake Buchanan misses regular free throw 1 of 2
2:50	+1	Blake Buchanan makes regular free throw 2 of 2	35-26
2:40		Dai Dai Ames personal foul
2:35		Andrew Rohde personal foul
2:35	+1	Jaydon Young makes regular free throw 1 of 2	35-27
2:35	+1	Jaydon Young makes regular free throw 2 of 2	35-28
2:11		Isaac McKneely misses two point jump shot
2:09		Tobi Lawal defensive rebound
1:49		Mylyjael Poteat turnover (traveling)
1:27		Isaac McKneely misses three point jump shot
1:25		Jaden Schutt defensive rebound
1:12	+3	Tobi Lawal makes three point jump shot (Jaden Schutt assists)	35-31
0:53	+2	Dai Dai Ames makes two point layup	37-31
0:30	+2	Tyler Johnson makes two point layup (Tobi Lawal assists)	37-33
0:16		Cavaliers 30 second timeout
0:03	+3	Elijah Saunders makes three point jump shot (Dai Dai Ames assists)	40-33
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
UVA
Cavaliers
33
VT
Hokies
37

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Andrew Rohde technical foul
20:00		Elijah Saunders technical foul
20:00		Tyler Johnson technical foul
20:00		Rodney Brown Jr. technical foul
19:46		Andrew Rohde personal foul
19:35		Ben Hammond turnover (Jacob Cofie steals)
19:19		Jaden Schutt shooting foul (Andrew Rohde draws the foul)
19:19	+1	Andrew Rohde makes regular free throw 1 of 2	41-33
19:19	+1	Andrew Rohde makes regular free throw 2 of 2	42-33
19:06	+3	Ben Hammond makes three point jump shot	42-36
18:32		Dai Dai Ames misses three point jump shot
18:30		Hokies defensive rebound
18:10		Blake Buchanan blocks Mylyjael Poteat's two point layup
18:08		Blake Buchanan defensive rebound
17:38	+3	Isaac McKneely makes three point jump shot (Dai Dai Ames assists)	45-36
17:11	+2	Tobi Lawal makes two point hook shot	45-38
16:38		Dai Dai Ames misses three point jump shot
16:36		Tobi Lawal defensive rebound
16:19		Mylyjael Poteat turnover (Isaac McKneely steals)
16:09		Isaac McKneely misses three point jump shot
16:07		Mylyjael Poteat defensive rebound
15:54		Jaydon Young misses three point jump shot
15:52		Taine Murray defensive rebound
15:33		Mylyjael Poteat blocks Taine Murray's three point jump shot
15:33		Cavaliers offensive rebound
15:33		TV timeout
15:29	+2	Dai Dai Ames makes two point layup	47-38
15:10		Brandon Rechsteiner misses three point jump shot
15:08		Cavaliers defensive rebound
14:52		Tyler Johnson personal foul
14:46		Jaydon Young shooting foul (Anthony Robinson draws the foul)
14:46	+1	Anthony Robinson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	48-38
14:46		Anthony Robinson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
14:46		Ben Burnham defensive rebound
14:32		Ben Burnham misses three point jump shot
14:30		Jaydon Young offensive rebound
14:30		Taine Murray personal foul
14:09	+3	Jaydon Young makes three point jump shot	48-41
13:50		Elijah Saunders misses three point jump shot
13:48		Brandon Rechsteiner defensive rebound
13:33		Brandon Rechsteiner misses three point jump shot
13:31		Andrew Rohde defensive rebound
13:16		Elijah Saunders misses two point layup
13:14		Elijah Saunders offensive rebound
13:14		Elijah Saunders misses two point layup
13:12		Elijah Saunders offensive rebound
13:11		Ben Burnham shooting foul (Elijah Saunders draws the foul)
13:11	+1	Elijah Saunders makes regular free throw 1 of 2	49-41
13:11	+1	Elijah Saunders makes regular free throw 2 of 2	50-41
12:58		Anthony Robinson blocks Tobi Lawal's two point layup
12:56		Hokies offensive rebound
12:44	+3	Jaydon Young makes three point jump shot	50-44
12:22		Isaac McKneely misses three point jump shot
12:20		Anthony Robinson offensive rebound
12:20		Tobi Lawal personal foul
12:20	+1	Anthony Robinson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	51-44
12:20	+1	Anthony Robinson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	52-44
12:07		Blake Buchanan personal foul
11:55		Ben Hammond turnover (bad pass)
11:55		TV timeout
11:29		Tobi Lawal shooting foul (Isaac McKneely draws the foul)
11:29	+1	Isaac McKneely makes regular free throw 1 of 2	53-44
11:29	+1	Isaac McKneely makes regular free throw 2 of 2	54-44
11:12		Jacob Cofie personal foul (Ben Hammond draws the foul)
11:06		Brandon Rechsteiner turnover (Ishan Sharma steals)
10:59		Dai Dai Ames misses three point jump shot
10:57		Mylyjael Poteat defensive rebound
10:45		Blake Buchanan shooting foul (Ben Burnham draws the foul)
10:45	+1	Ben Burnham makes regular free throw 1 of 2	54-45
10:45		Ben Burnham misses regular free throw 2 of 2
10:45		Blake Buchanan defensive rebound
10:33		Ishan Sharma turnover (traveling)
10:22	+3	Ben Burnham makes three point jump shot (Ben Hammond assists)	54-48
10:04	+2	Isaac McKneely makes two point jump shot	56-48
9:37	+2	Mylyjael Poteat makes two point dunk (Brandon Rechsteiner assists)	56-50
9:15		Ishan Sharma misses three point jump shot
9:13		Jacob Cofie offensive rebound
9:01	+3	Isaac McKneely makes three point jump shot (Dai Dai Ames assists)	59-50
8:59		Cavaliers 30 second timeout
8:59		TV timeout
8:32		Ben Hammond misses two point layup
8:30		Blake Buchanan defensive rebound
8:12		Andrew Rohde turnover (Tyler Johnson steals)
8:06	+2	Tyler Johnson makes two point layup	59-52
8:06		Andrew Rohde shooting foul (Tyler Johnson draws the foul)
8:06	+1	Tyler Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 1	59-53
7:53	+3	Isaac McKneely makes three point jump shot (Taine Murray assists)	62-53
7:18		Dai Dai Ames blocks Ben Hammond's three point jump shot
7:16		Isaac McKneely defensive rebound
6:51		Isaac McKneely misses three point jump shot
6:49		Hokies defensive rebound
6:49		Jacob Cofie personal foul
6:49		TV timeout
6:49	+1	Tobi Lawal makes regular free throw 1 of 2	62-54
6:49	+1	Tobi Lawal makes regular free throw 2 of 2	62-55
6:19		Dai Dai Ames misses two point jump shot
6:17		Tobi Lawal defensive rebound
6:04	+3	Brandon Rechsteiner makes three point jump shot (Ben Burnham assists)	62-58
5:34		Elijah Saunders misses three point jump shot
5:32		Tyler Johnson defensive rebound
5:02		Ben Hammond misses two point layup
5:00		Anthony Robinson defensive rebound
4:38	+2	Taine Murray makes two point layup (Isaac McKneely assists)	64-58
4:13	+3	Ben Hammond makes three point jump shot (Brandon Rechsteiner assists)	64-61
3:45		Dai Dai Ames turnover (lost ball)
3:36		Tyler Johnson misses two point layup
3:34		Anthony Robinson defensive rebound
3:34		Tyler Johnson personal foul
3:34		TV timeout
3:34	+1	Anthony Robinson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	65-61
3:34	+1	Anthony Robinson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	66-61
3:25	+2	Ben Hammond makes two point layup	66-63
3:25		Blake Buchanan shooting foul
3:25	+1	Ben Hammond makes regular free throw 1 of 1	66-64
2:58	+3	Isaac McKneely makes three point jump shot (Andrew Rohde assists)	69-64
2:38		Isaac McKneely shooting foul (Tyler Johnson draws the foul)
2:37	+1	Tyler Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	69-65
2:37	+1	Tyler Johnson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	69-66
2:18		Isaac McKneely misses three point jump shot
2:16		Ben Burnham defensive rebound
2:04	+2	Ben Hammond makes two point layup	69-68
1:44		Jaydon Young personal foul (Andrew Rohde draws the foul)
1:44	+1	Andrew Rohde makes regular free throw 1 of 2	70-68
1:44	+1	Andrew Rohde makes regular free throw 2 of 2	71-68
1:19	+2	Tyler Johnson makes two point layup (Ben Hammond assists)	71-70
1:19		Hokies 30 second timeout
1:05	+2	Anthony Robinson makes two point alley-oop dunk (Andrew Rohde assists)	73-70
1:02		Cavaliers 30 second timeout
0:44		Brandon Rechsteiner misses three point jump shot
0:42		Blake Buchanan defensive rebound
0:13		Isaac McKneely misses three point jump shot
0:11		Tyler Johnson defensive rebound
0:03		Ben Burnham misses three point jump shot
0:01		Taine Murray defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Taine Murray defensive rebound