In a crucial ACC matchup on Saturday night, Virginia Tech (12-15, 7-9 ACC) overcame a tied first-half score to defeat Miami (6-21, 2-14 ACC) 81-68, fueled by a dominant second-half performance from Jaydon Young and Ben Burnham. The Hokies were locked in a tight battle at halftime, with the score knotted at 38, but Virginia Tech found their rhythm after the break to secure a crucial win.
Young, who had been solid throughout the game, exploded in the second half, scoring 19 of his 27 points. The sophomore guard was especially lethal from beyond the arc, hitting three of his eight 3-pointers in the second half. Burnham also contributed significantly, scoring 14 points, with 11 of those coming after halftime. His shooting was critical, as he knocked down four 3-pointers, including three in quick succession during a pivotal run.
Miami came out of the locker room with energy, opening the second half on a 10-4 surge to take a 48-42 lead with 15:14 left. However, Burnham answered the call, draining consecutive 3-pointers to spark a game-changing 33-11 run for Virginia Tech. Burnham’s final 3-pointer in that stretch gave the Hokies a commanding 75-59 lead with just over five minutes remaining.
The Hokies finished the game with 12 made 3-pointers, and Young and Burnham were responsible for nine of them, making them the driving force behind the win. Their perimeter shooting turned the tide after Miami had managed to keep the game competitive with impressive shooting in the first half.
A.J. Staton-McCray led the charge for Miami, finishing with 21 points, including four 3-pointers. Staton-McCray entered the game just seven points shy of 1,000 career points and achieved that milestone in a strong performance. Lynn Kidd added 16 points, while Paul Djobet contributed 12 and Brandon Johnson chipped in 10 points. Despite their efforts, Miami struggled in the second half, shooting only 39% (10 of 26) from the floor and making just 2 of 10 3-point attempts.
Virginia Tech’s ability to lock down defensively in the second half and their explosive shooting from beyond the arc helped them pull away in a game that had been up for grabs early on. The Hokies will next host No. 25 Louisville on Tuesday, while Miami will look to break a three-game losing streak when they host third-ranked Duke on the same night.
This win marks an important step for Virginia Tech as they continue their pursuit of an improved conference record.
