The Virginia Tech Hokies put three players in double figures on Tuesday night, and rolled to a 82-47 win over the Maine Black Bears in a non-conference men’s basketball season opener for both teams at Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, Virginia.
Virginia Tech, out of the ACC, never trailed scoring the first six points of the game and jumping out to a 12-2 advantage just over four minutes into action. After a layup from Maine freshman Kristians Feierbergs made it 14-7, the Hokies blew it open from there leading by 24 on two different occasions in the first half including a three-pointer at the buzzer off the glass by Storm Murphy that made it 46-22 at the break. VT would lead by as many as 39 in the second half.
Feierbergs and Byron Ireland led Maine in the loss with nine points a piece. LeChaun DuHart also chipped in seven points. The Black Bears shot just 32% from the floor and went 4-22 from the three-point arc. They lost the turnover battle 19-8, which Virginia Tech turned into a 22-4 advantage in points off those miscues. Justyn Mutts and David N’Guessan had 15 points a piece to lead the Hokies, while Nahiem Alleyne had 13. Maine will host UMaine-Farmington in their home opener at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor Friday evening at 5 p.m.
