B.J. Mack converted a layup with 20 seconds left Friday night and South Carolina edged Virginia Tech 79-77 in the Hall of Fame Series in Charlotte, N.C.
The Hokies (1-1) had a chance to force overtime or win the game but Sean Pedulla, who finished with a game-high 26 points and nine rebounds to go along with five assists, was tied up by Jacobi Wright and turned the ball over with two seconds left. It was only the fifth turnover for Virginia Tech.
Five players scored in double figures for the Gamecocks (2-0), led by Myles Stute with 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including 5 of 6 from the 3-point arc.
Mack added 19, while Wright and Ta’Lon Cooper each scored 12 points. Meechie Johnson scored 11.
Hunter Cattoor scored 13 points for the Hokies but made only 4 of 12 shots from the field. Lynn Kidd added 12. Virginia Tech made 15 of 22 second-half attempts to finish at 50 percent from the field, but South Carolina sank 56.4 percent from the floor.
Mylyjael Poteat hit a layup with 43 seconds remaining to pull the Hokies into a 77-77 tie prior to Mack’s game winner.
The storyline of the first half was simple: South Carolina made shots and Virginia Tech missed shots, particularly after the first six minutes.
The Hokies owned a 15-10 lead at the 14-minute mark of the half after Robbie Beran put back Cattoor’s missed 3-pointer. But beginning with Cooper’s 3-pointer on the Gamecocks’ next possession, they rattled off 12 straight points, holding Virginia Tech scoreless for more than six minutes.
South Carolina expanded its advantage to 29-19 with 5:24 left in the half when Stute drilled a 3-pointer. The margin reached 10 again about three minutes later when Johnson knocked down two free throws and the Gamecocks got to the break up 38-31.
The difference was easy to see: South Carolina sank 15 of 26 attempts from the field and the Hokies shot 11 of 30, including 2 of 14 on 3-pointers.
–Field Level Media
