Class of ‘07 Greatest Games #6-10

     As I crack the top 10 greatest games the senior class of 2007 has been a part of, the stakes get higher, the performances become legendary, and the emotions stick with us like it was yesterday.  Games 6-10 include the Class of ‘07’s first ACC victory, and two double overtime thrillers in Cassell.  Tomorrow I’ll conclude the series with the top 5 games before the season tips off with Late Night with the Hokies on Friday night.

#10 – February 27, 2010, Blacksburg, VA

Hokies 100 Maryland 104 (2 OT)

Highlights

The Doughnut can fly!

Just another typical February ACC basketball game.  Sort of.  The Hokies and Terps were scheduled to tip off in Cassell at 4pm on this Saturday afternoon, but a beer truck accident, of all things on a college campus, delayed the tip until 7:07.  Aside from a very brief 8 point lead by the Hokies, both teams were neck-and-neck up through the final minute of regulation.  By this point, senior point guard Greivis Vasquez had already scored 36 of his career high 41 points and Terp held a 3 points advantage and the ball with 22 seconds remaining.  But Landon Milbourne’s inbounds pass was intercepted by Terrell Bell, allowing the Hokies to call timeout and set up a 3 point play.  On the ensuing possession, Dorenzo Hudson inbounded the ball to a wide-open JT Thompson.  Thompson, who was a career 1-for-12 entering the game from behind the arc, buried the 3 from the right wing to tie the game at 80.  Maryland would strike back as Eric Hayes hit a 2 point jumper with 6 seconds left, but Malcolm Delaney calmly drove the length of the court and made a layup with 0.9 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime.  After 2 free throws by Eric Hayes to tie the game at 89, Delaney got a fastbreak opportunity to seal the game but time expired before he could get the ball up.  Maryland struck first in double overtime and never relinquished the lead.  Down two with time running out, Delaney dished the ball to a wide open Eric Green for a game-winning 3 point shot, but it bounced off the iron and sealed the victory for Maryland.

#9 – January 12, 2008, Blacksburg, VA

Hokies 67 Maryland 66

This game is probably a little high on the list because it was my first ACC game in Cassell, but to be fair, it was an exciting finish.  Despite holding point guard Greivis Vasquez to 2-of-14 shooting, the Hokies trailed the majority of the game and found themselves down 66-61 with a 1:45 to play, facing an 0-2 start in the ACC.  Hank Thorns hit a jumper with 1:32 remaining to pull the Hokies within 3.  After Maryland senior James Gist missed a layup with 58 seconds remaining, freshman Malcolm Delaney drilled a 3 pointer to tie the game at 66.  After a Maryland timeout, Deron Washington got a steal that led to a trip to the free throw line for Jeff Allen.  Allen knocked down 1-of-2, but Maryland regained possession with 12 seconds left.  Greivis Vasquez’s three was off target at the buzzer and the Hokies walked away with a 67-66 win, the first ACC win for the freshman class of ‘07, behind 17 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 steals from freshman Jeff Allen.

#8 – March 18, 2009, Blacksburg, VA

Hokies 116 Duquesne 108 (2 OT)

Highlights (Part 1, 2, 3)

Duquesne		VT
Player	Pts	Player	Pts
A. Jackson	46	AD Vassallo	33
E. Evans	19	J. Allen	23
M. Bolding	18	JT Thompson	21
J. Duty	11	M. Delaney	20
D. Saunders	5	D. Hudson	15

As a #2 seed, the first round NIT game should be a cake walk right?  Facing former Virginia Tech player Ron Everhart’s 21-12 Duquesne Dukes, the first 35 minutes were exactly that.  But after Malcolm Delaney hit a 3 to extend the lead to 13 with 7:04 remaining, Duquesne would mount a quick comeback behind three 3 pointers to tie the game at 70 with 3:45 remaining.  A free throw by Melquan Bolding would put the Dukes up by 2 and the Hokies would need a second chance runner from A.D. Vassallo with 13 seconds remaining just to force overtime.  In the first overtime, the Hokies would build a 6 point lead with under a minute to go, only to see it erased again by Duquesne’s Aaron Jackson, who scored 5 points in the final 22 seconds to force a second overtime.  The Hokies finally took control in the second overtime, and after scoring his 46th point of the night, Jackson fouled out with 23 second remaining.  The 116-108 final score would go down as the second highest scoring game ever played in Cassell Coliseum.

#7 – February 25, 2009, Clemson, SC

Hokies 80 #12 Clemson 77

Highlights (Last 6 min)

After falling to Clemson at home a month earlier, the Hokies were 10.5 point underdogs coming into Littlejohn Coliseum.  After tailing 35-38 at the break, the Hokies began to take control in the second half, stretching their lead to 7 at one point.  Guard Hank Thorns was instrumental in shredding the Tigers aggressive pressing defense, but Clemson wouldn’t go away, as sharpshooter Terrance Oglesby kept the Tigers in the game with three 3 pointers in the final 7 minutes.  After Oglesby made the score 77-75 with 3 minutes remaining, the Hokies defense would lock down on the Tigers until Trevor Booker got a breakaway layup with 20 second remaining.  A.D. Vassallo hit two free throws and Dorenzo Hudson prevented Oglesby from getting up a game-tying in the waning seconds to seal the victory for the Hokies.

#6 – December 1, 2008, Blacksburg, VA

Hokies 72 Wisconsin 74

Highlights (Last 6 min)

The Big 10/ACC Challenge brought Bo Ryan’s Wisconsin Badgers and their 34 second offense to Blacksburg for this Monday night showdown.  Although both teams ended up shooting the ball well (50% each), Wisconsin’s half-court style of play dictated the pace of the game and the Hokies played from behind virtually the entire game.  The Hokies shot an astonishing 69% from 3 point range (11 of 16), which kept them within striking distance.  After Wisconsin took a 9 point advantage with a minute remaining, 3 pointers from Malcolm Delaney, Dorenzo Hudson, and A.D. Vassallo brought the Hokies back to within 1 with 18 seconds remaining.  Tech had to foul, and Wisconsin’s Jason Bohannon hit both free throws to extend the Badgers’ lead to 72-69.  Vassallo calmly drained his 6th three-pointer of the night, but with 7 seconds left, Trevon Hughes drove the length of the court and drained a runner over the outstretched arms of Malcolm Delaney for the game winning basket.  It wasn’t the first heartbreaking last second loss of the season and wouldn’t be the Hokies’ last.  But as you’ll find out in tomorrow’s conclusion of the countdown to Late Night with the Hokies, Tech learned from these heartbreakers and finally broke through for some thrilling last second heroics of their own.

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Make it a weekend in Blacksburg! October 15-16th

Friday, October 15th

12-1pm	Chalk Talk w/ Seth Greenberg	Dietrick Dining Hall (D2)	Included with cost of lunch
7-9pm	Volleyball vs. Wake Forest Game Notes: <link>	Cassell Coliseum	FREE
9-10pm	Late Night w/ the Hokies	Cassell Coliseum	FREE

Saturday, October 16th

3:30pm

Football vs. Wake Forest (Homecoming) Game Notes: <link>

Lane Stadium

$48 (Tickets)