BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Keve Aluma scored a career-high 19 points in his debut with Virginia Tech and the Hokies pulled away in the second half to beat Radford 77-62 in a season opener on Wednesday.
Aluma, a Wofford transfer who sat out last season, was 7 of 10 from the field, including three 3-pointers. Nahiem Alleyne added 14 points and Hunter Cattoor had 12, all on 3-pointers. The Hokies shot under 50% overall but made 11 of 26 from the arc for 42.3%. Alleyne and Cattoor are returnees to a program that has nine newcomers.
Justyn Mutt scored with two minutes left in the first half to give the Hokies the lead for good and Alleyne scored seven of the Hokies' next nine points for a 37-31 halftime lead. Virginia Tech and went up by 17 with just over three minutes left in the game after a 15-7 run.
Radford, the defending regular-season Big South champion, lost all five of its starters from last season. Dravon Mangum and Josiah Jeffers scored 12 points each and Fah'Mir Ali added 10 for the Highlanders.
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1of10Virginia Tech's Cartier Diarra dribbles up the floor after grabbing a defensive rebound against Radford during an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday Nov. 25, 2020, in Blacksburg Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)Matt Gentry/APShow MoreShow Less2of10Virginia Tech's Cartier Diarra (2) scores past Radford defenders Shaquan Jules (13) and Fah'Mir Ali (0) during first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday Nov. 25, 2020, in Blacksburg Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)Matt Gentry/APShow MoreShow Less3of10Virginia Tech head coach Mike Young, left,and Radford head coach Mike Jones talk at the conclusion of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday Nov. 25, 2020, in Blacksburg Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)Matt Gentry/APShow MoreShow Less4of10Radford's Fah'Mir Ali (0) looks to pass during the the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Virginia Tech, Wednesday Nov. 25, 2020, in Blacksburg Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)Matt Gentry/APShow MoreShow Less5of10Virginia Tech's Joseph "Joe" Bamisile (1) shoots over the Radford defense during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday Nov. 25, 2020, in Blacksburg Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)Matt Gentry/APShow MoreShow Less6of10Virginia Tech's Hunter Cattoor 0) a 3-point basket in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Radford, Wednesday Nov. 25, 2020, in Blacksburg Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)Matt Gentry/APShow MoreShow Less7of10Radford's Fah'Mir Ali (0), surrounded by Virginia Tech defenders Cartier Diarra (2) Cordell Pemsl (35) and Joseph "Joe" Bamisile (1) tries to shoot during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday Nov. 25, 2020, in Blacksburg Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)Matt Gentry/APShow MoreShow Less8of10Radford's Keishon Porter (1) attempts to shoot past Virginia Tech's Keve Aluma (22) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday Nov. 25, 2020, in Blacksburg Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)Matt Gentry/APShow MoreShow Less9of10Virginia Tech's Tyrece Radford (22) and Radford Shaquan Jules (13) reach for a rebound in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday Nov. 25, 2020, in Blacksburg Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)Matt Gentry/APShow MoreShow Less10of10Radford head coach Mike Jones reacts to a play in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Virginia Tech, Wednesday Nov. 25, 2020, in Blacksburg Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)Matt Gentry/APShow MoreShow Less
