Virginia Tech beat #15 Oklahoma State 81-71 in Cassell Coliseum on Saturday afternoon to run their record to 7-0. The Cowboys dropped to 5-1 on the year. It was Tech’s first non-conference victory over a ranked team since they knocked off UVA in 1995.
Erick Green picked up two quick fouls in the first two minutes and only played nine minutes in the first half. As a result, Oklahoma State held a 36-32 halftime lead. However, Green returned in the second half, scored 10 quick points, and then hit key free throws down the stretch. He finished with a career-high 28 points and seven rebounds in just 26 minutes.
“Green is one of the top five point guards in the country,” Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford said after the game.
Ford also had a lot of good things to say about the crowd following the game. He opened his talk to the media with comments about the student section, without being prompted.
“I was really impressed with the environment, with the student section of the crowd,” Ford said. “That was an impressive crowd for early December.”
Erick Green had help from three teammates who scored in double figures:
Jarell Eddie : 15 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and a block
Robert Brown : 18 points, 6 rebounds
Cadarian Raines : 10 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks
Marshall Wood also came off the bench to score eight points and grab five rebounds.
Free throw shooting was critical for the Hokies once again. Tech went 27-of-33 (81.8%) from the charity stripe, and they shot 50% (13-of-26) from the field in the second half. They outscored the Cowboys 49-32 over the final 19:46 of the game, after OSU took a 39-32 lead early in the second half.
Oklahoma State features two possible NBA draft picks in sophomore Le’Bryan Nash and freshman Marcus Smart, but Tech’s defense was improved in the second half.
“They do have some really good players on that team,” Jarell Eddie noted. “It’s a good team. Being able to beat them, play good defense down the stretch and get the win, it’s going to be a big confidence boost for us.”
James Johnson was pleased with the win, especially considering the Hokies had to respond to Erick Green being in foul trouble.
“Big win for the Hokies,” Johnson said. “For us to win that game, especially with the leading scorer getting two quick fouls, those other guys stayed in there and we actually took the lead without him on the floor. [Oklahoma State] came back, took the lead at halftime, and we showed a lot of heart and a lot of guts.”
Along with Duke, Virginia Tech is one of just two undefeated teams remaining in the ACC. The Hokies will face their first major road test next Saturday, when they travel to Morgantown to take on border rival West Virginia. Tipoff is scheduled for 4pm and the game will be televised nationally by ESPN2.
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even if we dont win another bb game this year im proud of tech !!!!! jj and the team are on there way to something big in the future!!!! i still dont see us doing a lot this year but in the next 2 or 3 years…….watch out world VA.TECH BB IS HERE!!!!!AND AS FAR AS FOOTBALL? HEY ITS LIKE THIS WE BEEN ON A HIGH HORSE FOR YEARS, SO ITS TIME FOR US TO GET PUT IN OUR PLACE,WE CAN NOT BE GOOD EVERY YEAR,SOONER OR LATER WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN ,BUT THE BEST PART IS THE FIGHT GETTING BACK UP!!!! STAND UP HOKIES!!!!! STAND UP!!!!!
I am very proud of our basketball team and the students’ response to their success.
Johnson is a breathe of fresh air.
On Dec 8th, the Stump Jumpers will be foaming at the mouth to get after us, especially given how their Big 12 football aspirations crashed back down to earth. I’ve already seen pickup truck loads of couches heading west on I-68 towatd Morgantown! 🙂
Isn’t it true that this will be the first major revenue sports clash against WVU since our football game there in 2005?
Are any Hokies planning to go??
Ya, you’ll hopefully see me there! Hopefully won’t let the scrubs in M-town get to me!
Yep, haven’t played them since 2/28/04 in men’s basketball, so the ’05 football game is the last revenue sports clash.
Seth WHO??????????
Congrads to JJ and the rest of the Hokies! JJ appears to have installed the eye of the tiger attitude with this team which is great to see. From what it appears so far, he makes it clear to the players his expectation is just that and as a result the players are not soft like our offense players and coaches for football have been all season. Would love to see them go to Mo’Town and beat Huggy Bear & Mountaineers next week! Go Hokies!
Your blanket indictment of all of our offensive football players as “soft” is ridiculous.
JJ has put something in the Cassell we hadn’t seen in a while…A basketball Team that is Coached ….. Life is back in the Cassell.
I am enjoying this team as much as anybody but don’t understand kicking Greenberg.
From OSU coach:
Ford on VT last year vs. this year: “They played pretty fast against us last year. I think they’re just making more shots this year. … They’re running the same stuff, a lot of the same stuff. …. They’re playing with a lot of confidence. The new coach has done a good job developing that.”
With a 7-0 start and a win over the #15 ranked team,next week the basketball team may be ranked while the football team is unranked. When was the last time that happened?
I attended Tech from 76-80, the hoops team was better than the football team, and even won the old Metro Conference title. I seem to remember the basketball team being ranked. The football team was not ranked in any way,
Games (both FB and BB) were fun and well attended by students.
Go Hokies!
Fun to watch. It is nice to see us not “fold” under pressure at home for a change. Coach JJ has brought a refreshing demeanor and attitude to this team and they seem to be responding.
Go to Morgantown and beat Bob Hudgins and his bad boys @ WVU.
Just remember, no VT bb team has gone undefeated through 7 games since “82-83.
Richmond Hokie
Mr. Coleman –
FREE THROWS BABY!!
Props to Mr. Eddie and Mr. Green for putting the game out of reach by hitting free throws at the end of the game.
Props to Marshall Wood for showing up big time – took the ball to the hoop in the second half and rebounded well, played defense like a veteran.
Props to all the team for not giving up. Most of all, props to Coach Johnson for using his 2-on-1 trap defense in the second half to take the lead.
Erick Green is the man and that also makes him our achilles heel. God bless him and keep him healthy. Amen.
Nuff Said
/r
Slim
From the RT:
Tech went 27 of 33 from the free-throw line to OSU’s 11 of 15.
Last year it was the other way around – this is how you win ball games, run, drive to the basket and draw fouls, make your free-throws! Been Duke’s recipe for success for years.
Props to the Hokies (Eddie, Wood, Brown) for stepping up when Okie St. doble-teamed Erick Green early in the second half, and tried full-court pressure. Mr. Green defeated the full court pressure every time.
GO HOKIES
/r
Slim
Great game,it as fun to watch VT basketball again Thanks JJ and the whole team
Think we might have us a team, boys?
The determination in Raines’ face in that photo says it all. What a heart this team has!
Glad Eric Green had fewer minutes today, I think he and Delaney ran out of gas the last two years near the end of season. I know, he had foul trouble, but I think it really needs to be watched. All else is greaat!
I want to believe and this team just took a big step forward. Now let’s see what they can do on the road. I’ll say this about JJ’s squad – they are a lot of fun to watch!
Football is bad and basketball is good? Did I miss something?
You have stepped into an alternate universe.
DOGS AND CATS LIVING TOGETHER….MASS HYSTERIA!
ACC Baby!
I like Marshall wood game. Ft shooting. These guys are good
A great start, Hokies! We are proud of you.
Way to GO HOKIES!