Myles Colvin scored 18 points as Wake Forest beat bubble team Virginia Tech 95-89 in overtime in the first round of the ACC Tournament on Tuesday night in Charlotte, North Carolina.
This first round game between the No. 12 Hokies (19-13) and the 13th-seeded Demon Deacons (17-15) marked the 50th overtime game in ACC Tournament history. Wake will face fifth-seeded Clemson on Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. ET.
Colvin also had six rebounds and was one of seven players to score in double figures for Wake. Sebastian Akins had 14 points, Tre’Von Spillers and Mekhi Mason each scored 13, and Juke Harris, Cooper Schwieger and Nate Calmese each chipped in 10 apiece.
The loss could be one that keeps the Hokies out of the NCAA Tournament field, as they were projected to be a bubble team by many bracketologists heading into this week. Ban Hammond powered Virginia Tech with 23 points, Jailen Bedford tallied 17 points and eight rebounds, and Tobi Lawal had 12 points and nine boards.
Wake Forest led by as many as seven points in the second half. To send the game into overtime, Virginia Tech broke off a 10-3 run which was capped off with a 3-pointer by Bedford to tie the game 71-all with under three minutes to play.
After the Hokies and Demon Deacons exchanged free throws late, both teams had a chance to win it in regulation. Mason air-balled a 3-point attempt for Wake, while Hammond’s floater from the lane missed the mark just before the buzzer.
With 57 seconds left to play in overtime, Akins sank a 14-foot floater while being fouled and then knocked down the free throw to extend Wake’s lead to two possessions, 89-85. Virginia Tech tried to claw its way back in, but Cooper Schwieger’s steal with eight seconds left — and then his two free throws — sealed the win for Wake Forest.
Virginia Tech won the rebounding battle 45-28, but Wake shot 50.8% from the floor, knocked down 27 free throws, and scored 18 points off 13 turnovers by the Hokies.
