Virginia Tech Hokies vs Pittsburgh Panthers Match Player Stats On Feb 16, 2019

Kerry Blackshear Jr. made three 3-pointers and scored a season-high 29 points for No. 22 Virginia Tech as the visiting Hokies extended Pittsburgh's losing streak to nine games with a 70-64 Atlantic Coast Conference victory Saturday.

It was the third victory for the Hokies (20-5, 9-4 ACC) in the five games they have been without point guard Justin Robinson. The program's all-time assist leader is out indefinitely with a foot injury.

Blackshear was over halfway to his career-high 31 points, set last season against Pitt, when he had 16 of Virginia Tech's 31 first-half points. He just missed his fifth double-double of the season, settling for nine rebounds.

Blackshear's offense was sorely needed as leading scorer Nickeil Alexander-Walker (17.3 points per game) was in early foul trouble and had only two points in seven first-half minutes. Alexander-Walker finished with nine points. Ahmed Hill had 14 points.

Xavier Johnson led the Panthers (12-14, 2-11) with 18 points.

After leading 31-26 at halftime, the Hokies maintained a single-digit lead in the second half until Jonathan Kabongo's corner 3-pointer put them up 57-46 with 5:44 remaining in the game.

The Hokies extended the lead to 59-47, but the Panthers made a run to trail 68-64 in the closing seconds before the Hokies held on.

Virginia Tech took a double-digit lead less than eight minutes into the game when Blackshear's 3-pointer forged a 17-6 advantage.

That was the Hokies' last field goal for over six minutes, and the Panthers went 5 of 7 from the field to take their first lead since an early 4-2 edge when Khameron Davis' corner 3-pointer put Pitt up 24-22 with 2:31 left in the half.

The Hokies closed the first half on a 9-2 run, with Isaiah Wilkins hitting a 3-pointer and Wabissa Bede making a driving layup in the final minute.

--Field Level Media