Neoklis Avdalas poured in 16 points with seven assists and Virginia Tech’s second-half defense was in control as the Hokies defeated Maryland Eastern Shore 82-53 on Sunday at Blacksburg, Va.
Christian Gurdak racked up 13 points and eight rebounds off the Virginia Tech bench, Tyler Johnson and Amani Hansberry tallied 12 points apiece and reserve Ben Hammond had 10 points. Hansberry had a team-best nine rebounds.
The Hokies (10-2) shot 54.4% from the field on the way to boosting their winning streak to four games.
Avdalas, Hansberry, Johnson, Jaden Schutt and Hammond all made a pair of 3-point shots as Virginia Tech went 11of 24 (45.8%) from long range.
Dorion Staples and reserve Christopher Flippin each scored seven points for the Hawks (4-11), who are on a five-game losing streak with the past three losses coming in a six-day span.
Maryland Eastern Shore shot 36.8% from the floor, including 4 of 27 (14.8%) on 3-point attempts. The Hawks also committed 14 turnovers, contributing to offensive struggles that included only 24 second-half points.
The Hawks held a 36-32 rebounding advantage, but didn’t convert often enough off their 13 offensive boards.
Maryland Eastern Shore starters shot 2-for-16 on 3-point attempts and went to the free-throw line for only three attempts. The Hawks were 7 of 12 overall on foul shots.
Virginia Tech led 38-29 at halftime. The Hawks were within 45-37 early in the second half before Virginia Tech put together a 11-2 run, with Avdalas notching five points and Gurdak posting the final four points of the spurt.
The score was knotted at 18-18 before a jumper by Gurdak and a 3-pointer by Schutt. Then Schutt and Hansberry made 3s in a 95-second stretch late in the half as the Hokies began to string together consecutive productive possessions before Johnson’s 3-pointer and Hammond’s layup provided a 36-24 lead.
A four-minute stretch with only two points doomed Maryland Eastern Shore, which was less than 40 hours removed from an 82-79 loss Friday night at North Carolina A&T.
