I May have previously said that the thrill about Commonwealth Clash is, anytime, when it does take place; it does not disappoint, as the Virginia Cavaliers pinned down their strong rivals of all time, the Virginia Tech Hokies, with a 73-70 win on February 15, 2025, at Cassell Coliseum, Blacksburg. The win also meant that Virginia had finally broken its streak of defeats at Cassell Coliseum, as it did their first converting victory over Virginia Tech at home since 2020. That last win by the cavaliers totally avenged last month’s home loss to the Hokies.
Noticeable Exhibitions
Isaac McKneely: For the Cavaliers, the young man significantly contributed to their cause with 22 points – their highest for the afternoon. His second-half shooting from long range was especially evident with six 3-pointers stuffed into the Hokies’ defense.
Other Game Highlights:
- Isaac McKneely:The Cavs seem to have taken an early advantage after Elijah Saunders buried a three-pointer to give the Cavs a big 32-17 cushion in the first half. The Hokies were not discouraged by such an advantage as they mounted a follow-up run of 16-8, which reduced the deficit at halftime to 40-33.
- Anthony Robinson: He claimed a career-high 15 points and snatched up seven rebounds in very limited minutes. With the little played time, so full of energy and big plays, including a key slam dunk at the end, made it easy to see how important he was to keeping Virginia ahead.
- Tobi Lawal: On this night, and for the Hokies, he was 7 of 11 from the floor for a game-high 23 points and pulled seven rebounds. Keeping Virginia Tech within striking distance for much of the contest was what he did.
Game Highlights
However, the Cavaliers took an early lead when Elijah Saunders’ 3-pointer put them up 32-17 in the first half. The Hokies answered with a run of 16-8, bringing it within 40-33 at halftime.
McKneely’s shooting from outside gave Virginia a 62-53 lead with 7:53 remaining in the second half. Virginia Tech, however, made a late push, with some of the key baskets coming from Ben Hammond, but a missed 3-pointer from Ben Burnham in the dying seconds ensured the win for the Cavaliers.
Implications and Future Games
The win now improves both teams’ records in the Atlantic Coast Conference to 6-8. Under the first year of Ron Sanchez, the Cavaliers improve to 13-12 overall, while the Hokies drop to 11-14.
Virginia will host third-ranked Duke on Monday, another tough assignment, while Virginia Tech will head to Boston College on Tuesday, looking to bounce back from the close loss.
