Cattoor’s career-high 14 helps Hokies outlast VMI, 64-55

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Hunter Cattoor scored a career-high 14 points to lift Virginia Tech a 64-55 victory over VMI on Saturday.

Cattoor came off the bench to hit 4 of 8 from the floor, including two 3-pointers for the Hokies (9-3), who won their third straight game despite shooting a season-low 34% (21 of 61). Isaiah Wilkins added 13 points for Virginia Tech, which extended its home-court nonconference winning streak to 32 consecutive games.

Virginia Tech led by just six midway late in the second half, but scored five points on one possession when point guard Wabissa Bede hit a lay-up just as the shot clock sounded to give the Hokies a 47-39 lead. Following the shot, VMI head coach Dan Earl was given a technical foul for arguing with one of the officials, and the Hokies’ Jalen Cone hit both free throws with 7:29 remaining to give Virginia Tech a 49-39 advantage.

VMI (5-8) cut the lead to 57-51 on a 3-pointer by Kamdyn Curfman with 3:02 remaining, but missed five shots over their next two possessions and got no closer.

Curfman paced the Keydets with 15 points, Travis Evee led with 20 but had seven turnovers. VMI scored its fewest points of the season and turned the ball over a season-high 23 times.

TIP-INS

VMI: The Keydets two freshman guards gave the Hokies plenty of fits and figure to get even better as the season goes along. Curfman and Evee combined to score 35 points, with Evee scoring all 20 of his in the second half.

Virginia Tech: The Hokies won despite leading scorer Landers Nolley II suffering the worst game of his young career. Nolley scored just four points and hit just 1 of 11 from the floor. He settled for too many jumpers, was short on a lot of them, and sat for extended stretches in the second half. Perhaps the holiday break comes at a good time for the redshirt freshman, who was averaging 18.5 points per game before Saturday.

UP NEXT

VMI: The Keydets play at USC Upstate on Dec. 29.

Virginia Tech: The Hokies play at home against Maryland Eastern Shore on Dec. 29.

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