WATCH: Darius Maddox sinks Miami, propels Virginia Tech with game-winning three
Virginia Tech put up a season-high 18 turnovers in a sloppy performance against the Miami Hurricanes, forcing the Hokies to squander their first-half lead, but Virginia Tech still managed to emerge victorious thanks to a game-winning three-point shot from Darius Maddox.
Maddox, a sophomore guard from Bowie, MD, is only averaging 5.6 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.6 assists on the season, but the 6-foot-5, 185-pound guard has come alive of late, helping seal back-to-back victories with heroic efforts. In Virginia Tech’s Wednesday night win over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Maddox turned in 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, making the most of his 18 minutes played, and on Saturday, he did it again — only better.
Maddox on Saturday scored 13 points on 5-of-7 from the field, including 3-of-5 from three-point range, including the most important shot of the game. Virginia Tech needed a basket with 16 seconds remaining; a two-point shot would have tied it, a three-point shot would have served as the go-ahead bucket. The Hokies managed to force a turnover on Miami, which failed to inbound the ball from beneath their own basket, and the ball went straight to Maddox — who nailed the go-ahead, and eventual game-winning three-point shot.
Maddox was one of four double-digit scorers for Virginia Tech, which managed to pul off its second-half comeback over the Miami Hurricanes. In addition to Maddox’ heroics, Keve Aluma had 17 points on 8-of-9 from the field, as well as 10 rebounds; Hunter Cattoor had 10 points, four boards, six assists and two steals, and Sean Pedulla — much like Maddox — came off the bench with a vengeance, pouring in 17 points on 7-of-15 from the field. Virginia Tech as a team was extremely efficient on offense, scoring 56.9 percent of its field-goal attempts, while notching a season-high 21 assists as a team.
Miami, on the other hand, had an equally balanced scoring attack despite the loss to Virginia Tech. The Hurricanes had three starters finish in double digits in Sam Waardenburg, who had 10 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals; Charlie Moore, who had 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting, along with nine assists, a pair of steals and a pair of rebounds; and Kameron McGusty, who had 15 points, four steals, three assists and three boards. Moreover, the Hurricanes had two scorers come off the bench for double digits, including Isaiah Wong, who had 14 points on an efficient 6-of-9, and Anthony Walker, who had 11 points, three steals and four rebounds. Miami’s scoring output wasn’t enough to bury Virginia Tech, though, as Maddox had the last laugh.