Virginia Tech and California are both looking to bounce back from disappointing defeats as they prepare to clash on Saturday in Blacksburg, Virginia. The Golden Bears (13-3, 1-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) started their first conference road trip of the season with an 84-60 setback against No. 23 Virginia on Wednesday.
This matchup marks Cal’s first-ever visit to Blacksburg to challenge the Hokies (12-4, 1-2), who narrowly fell to Stanford 69-68 in their last outing. Virginia Tech had a promising lead, up by 12 points with just over two minutes left, only to see Stanford rally with a 14-1 run, stealing the victory in the process.
Neoklis Avdalas emerged as a standout for the Hokies, scoring 21 points in the contest. Additionally, Amani Hansberry showcased his prowess with his eighth double-double this season, contributing 11 points and 11 rebounds. Notably, Virginia Tech welcomed back forward Tobi Lawal, who returned from injury to score five points and secure three rebounds and two blocks in 18 minutes of play.
Despite suffering two consecutive losses after a six-game winning streak, Hokies coach Mike Young remains optimistic about his team’s prospects. “We’ve got a really good team coming in on Saturday. Really good,” Young said. “So, don’t let this cost us another one. Let’s get back in the gym and get better and be ready to play. Two losses are not going to break our back. We’ve got a lot more to look forward to and it’ll be a lot of fun.”
The Golden Bears are eager for a better showing on Saturday, especially after struggling on the boards against Virginia, where they lost the rebounding battle 45-26. Coach Mark Madsen acknowledged the team’s shortcomings. “We did a poor job rebounding the ball and because of that, they were able to rack up almost 35 points in the paint,” he reflected. “We didn’t rebound and we didn’t take care of the ball. I take responsibility for that. I didn’t have the guys ready to compete at a high enough level.”
Dai Dai Ames led Cal with 18 points, while Justin Pippen and John Camden added 17 and 15 points, respectively. The Golden Bears faced a challenging night, finishing with a season-low point total and shooting just 15.8% (3 of 19) from beyond the arc. John Camden, a former Virginia Tech player who transferred to Delaware, is currently averaging 13.9 points and 4.9 rebounds for Cal.
Both teams will be looking to regain their footing and showcase their talents as they head into this intriguing matchup, underscoring the ongoing journey of growth and improvement for each program.