NASSAU, THE BAHAMAS – Jailen Bedford‘s 17-point performance propelled the virginia tech Hokies to a 66-64 victory over Colorado State Wednesday evening in the opening round of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament at Imperial Arena. The win improves Tech‘s record to 6-0, marking their best start since the 2019-20 season.
The game began slowly for both teams, with Colorado State initially taking a 10-5 led. virginia Tech responded with baskets from Ben Hammond and a three-pointer by Jaden Schutt to tie the score.A steal by Hammond leading to an alley-oop to Tobi Lawal, followed by a three-pointer from Neoklis Avdalas, gave the Hokies a seven-point advantage before the under-four timeout.
Virginia Tech entered halftime with a 33-26 lead.
bedford’s consistent drives to the basket proved crucial in the second half, helping the Hokies maintain their lead. Amani Hansberry, returning to the lineup, was perfect from the free-throw line, sinking all six attempts. Tyler Johnson contributed substantially with 12 rebounds – a career high – along with two blocks and two steals,adding nine points.
Virginia Tech will continue play in the Battle 4 Atlantis on Thursday, Nov. 27, at 2:30 p.m. against Saint Mary’s, who defeated Wichita state 70-65. The game will be televised on ESPN, with Dave O’Brien and Jimmy Dykes providing commentary.
