Virginia Tech Hokies vs Miami Hurricanes Match Player Stats On Jan 30, 2019

Guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker matched his season high with 25 points as No. 12 Virginia Tech overcame a slow start for an 82-70 victory over Miami on Wednesday night in Coral Gables, Fla.

Alexander-Walker shot 11 of 17 from the field and 3 of 7 on 3-point attempts in pacing the Hokies (17-3, 6-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) to a second straight win. Guard Ahmed Hill had 19 points and five rebounds, and guard Justin Robinson scored 17 despite leaving the game with just over 18 minutes left due to an injury.

The Hokies made only three of their first 12 shots but ended up shooting 58.8 percent from the floor, hitting 30 of 51.

Guard Chris Lykes sank his first three shots and ended a two-game scoring slump by leading the Hurricanes (9-11, 1-7) with 19 points. He had scored only nine points in his previous two games combined, making 4 of 27 shots. Guard Anthony Lawrence added 15 and guard Zach Johnson had 10 as Miami took its fourth consecutive loss.

The Hurricanes started slowly, making three of their first 11 shots, but unlike the Hokies never really found the pace until later in the second half. They finished 23 of 56 from the field (41.1 percent).

The Hokies made 8 of 9 shots over one stretch to build a 30-20 lead, then added a ninth in 10 attempts for a 32-23 edge with just over three minutes left in the first half.

Virginia Tech wound up shooting an even 50 percent from the field (13 of 26) in the half and went into the intermission holding a 34-27 advantage. Miami finished the half only 9 of 26 (36.4 percent) from the field.

The Hokies got their double-digit cushion back quickly after the break, starting the second half with 3-pointers by Hill and Wabissa Bede for a 40-27 advantage. They stretched their lead to 64-45 on an Isaiah Wilkins layup just past the midpoint of the second half and coasted in from there.

--Field Level Media