Jacksonville uses second-half surge to upend Virginia TechJacksonville uses second-half surge to upend Virginia Tech
Men's Basketball

Jacksonville uses second-half surge to upend Virginia Tech

Hokies outscored by 20 in second stanza

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BLACKSBURG — Zimi Nwokeji had 19 points and nine rebounds, Robert McCray V added 17 points and eight assists and Jacksonville shot 62% in the second half Wednesday night to help the Dolphins beat Virginia Tech 74-64.

Jacksonville (3-2) beat a Power Four program for the first time since the Dolphins beat Florida in 2010. The loss snapped a 24-game home nonconference win streak by the Hokies. Their last loss at home in nonconference play was to Penn State on Dec. 8, 2020.

Mylyjael Poteat made a layup to tie it at 44-all, but McCray made a jumper in the lane and then stole a pass and went the other way for a fast-break dunk and Jacksonville never again trailed.

Poteat finished with 15 points and eight rebounds, Tobi Lawal scored 14 and Brandon Rechsteiner 11 for Virginia Tech (3-2). The Hokies had their three-game win streak to open the season snapped with an 86-64 loss to Penn State at the Hall of Fame Series Baltimore on Friday.

Donovan Rivers had a layup, a steal, a dunk, a tip-in layup and a block to ignite a 14-5 run that gave the Dolphins a 67-58 lead when Nwokeji hit a 3-pointer with 3:53 to play. McCray converted a three-point play 38 seconds later to make it 10-point game.

Kendall Munson converted a three-point play, Zach Bell hit a 3-pointer and Munson hit a short turn-around jumper in an 8-0 run to open the second half before Tyler Johnson was fouled as he made a layup and hit the and-1 free throw to give the Hokies a 42-37 lead with 16 minutes left. Munson made a spinning layup before Nwokeji hit a straight-away 3 and a mid-range jumper to give Jacksonville a 44-42 lead.

Poteat made a layup to tie it at 44-all, but McCray made a jumper in the lane and then stole a pass and went the other way for a fast-break dunk. Donovan Rivers had a layup, a steal, a dunk, a tip-in layup and a block to ignite a 14-5 run that gave the Dolphins a 67-58 lead when Nwokeji hit a 3-pointer with 3:53 to play. McCray converted a three-point play 38 seconds later to make it a 10-point game.

The Hokies are back in action Monday, Nov. 25 at 6 p.m. ET as they square off with Michigan in the Fort Myers Tip-Off at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers, Fla. The game will be televised on FS1.