Virginia Tech pulled off its biggest win of the season Wednesday night, beating No. 20 Clemson 76-66 at Littlejohn Coliseum behind Jailen Bedford’s 23 points and a perfect night from the free throw line that kept the Tigers at arm’s length down the stretch.
The victory snapped Clemson’s 14-game home conference winning streak at Littlejohn Coliseum and pushed the Hokies firmly back into the NCAA Tournament conversation after three losses in their previous four games had sent their at-large hopes spiraling.
How Virginia Tech Beat Clemson’s Elite Defense
Virginia Tech shot 52% from the floor and matched that mark from three-point range, going 11-for-21 from deep against a Clemson defense that entered the game allowing just 64.1 points per game in conference play. The Tigers had no answer for Bedford, who poured in 16 first-half points and finished 4-for-5 from beyond the arc, or for Ben Hammond, who erupted for 17 of his 19 points after halftime.
The Hokies trailed 31-29 with under three minutes left in the first half before ripping off an 11-2 run to take a 40-33 lead into the break. Amani Hansberry’s buzzer-beating three gave Virginia Tech all the momentum it needed heading into the locker room.
Clemson made its push early in the second half, cutting the deficit to 40-38, but the Hokies responded each time. Tobi Lawal provided the steadying force inside, finishing with 12 points and 9 rebounds while hitting both of his three-point attempts. Virginia Tech never relinquished the lead after Bedford’s three-point play gave them a 32-31 advantage with 2:47 left in the first half.
The free throw line told the story down the stretch. Virginia Tech went 13-for-13 from the stripe, with 12 of those makes coming in the second half. Clemson, meanwhile, shot just 11-for-18 as opportunities slipped away.
Carter Welling led the Tigers with a season-high 19 points, but Clemson’s usual balance never materialized. RJ Godfrey and Jestin Porter, the team’s two leading scorers entering the game, combined for just 11 points on 4-for-15 shooting. Virginia Tech held Clemson to 5-for-16 from three-point range.
What Virginia Tech’s Win Means for NCAA Tournament Hopes
The win was Virginia Tech’s first on the road against a ranked opponent under coach Mike Young. The program had not won a road game against a ranked team since Feb. 2, 2019, when the Hokies beat NC State under then-coach Buzz Williams. It was also their first victory at Littlejohn Coliseum since Young’s debut season in 2019-20.
More importantly for March, this was a Quadrant 1-A victory, the kind of résumé-building win that moves the needle with the selection committee. Virginia Tech jumped four spots from No. 55 to No. 51 in the NET rankings after the game and climbed five spots to No. 54 in KenPom’s ratings. ESPN’s Joe Lunardi listed the Hokies among the teams that rose after Wednesday’s results.
Virginia Tech entered the week in the “work to do” tier on ESPN’s Bubble Watch with conditional at-large odds sitting around 27%. That number should climb significantly after knocking off a team that had won 13 of its previous 14 games and entered tied with Duke atop the ACC standings.
The Hokies improved to 17-8 overall and 6-6 in ACC play with six regular-season games remaining. They host Florida State on Saturday before a critical road trip to Miami on Tuesday. Every game matters now, but Wednesday’s performance proved Virginia Tech can beat quality opponents away from Cassell Coliseum.
For Clemson, which fell to 20-5 and 10-2, the loss served as a reminder that the ACC grind shows no mercy in February. The Tigers travel to Cameron Indoor Stadium on Saturday to face No. 4 Duke in what will be another measuring-stick game before the stretch run.
Virginia Tech still has work to do. But for one night in Clemson, the Hokies looked like a team capable of crashing the bracket.