By Kenneth Cross
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Iowa State held VCU scoreless from the floor over the last 4:55 as the Cyclones closed on a 14-2 run to take down the Rams, 68-64, in the ESPN Events Invitational Tournament on Thursday evening.
The Rams seemingly took the game over in the first half as they held the Cyclones to 0-of-17 from the field over a stretch of 11:10 and took a 33-18 lead late as Max Shulga and Toibu Lawal buried a pair of threes.
Iowa State set itself up at the end of the first half with a 6-0 run when Tamin Lipsey hit a pair of key threes in the last 41 seconds.
“We understood what a dogfight it had been for us and we obvbiously couldn’t score enough down the stretch to come out with a victory,” said VCU head coach Ryan Odom.
Cyclones guards Lipsey and Keshon Gilbert were tough down the stretch as they combined for 11 points to cut a 59-49 VCU lead to 62-59 with 3:27 to play.
Lipsey’s jumper with 1:37 to play gave Iowa State a 65-64 advantage as the Rams missed their last four field goals.
“That was really a physical, competitive game,” said Cyclones head coach T.J. Otzelberger. “We were fortunate down the stretch. Our guys were able to get stops and to continue to get the ball to the rim and into the paint.”
Lipsey and Gilbert had 22 points each to lead all scorers while Shulga led five Rams in double figures with 17.
Virginia Tech 82, Boise State 75
Sean Pedulla led Virginia Tech down the stretch as the Hokies shot 47.3 percent and scored 27 points off of 16 Boise State turnovers to pass the Broncos, 82-75.
Boise State’s Max Rice hit a three with 3:17 remaining to cut the Hokies’ lead to 72-70. However, Pedulla answered him with a triple and a layup to give Virginia Tech a 77-70 lead before Pedulla and Hunter Cattoor closed the game out from the line.
“We’re going to score enoungh to win,” noted Virginia Tech head coach Mike Young. “We talk about that all the time – master the things that help us win.”
Hunter Cattoor set the Virginia Tech three-point record with his 268th triple as he was 5-of-10 from the three point line.
“It’s just so hard to project where guys are going to be in a year, two years, but he’s got unbelievable work habits,” said Young.
After Boise State’s O’Mar Stanley scored six points in a row to give them a 34-24 lead with 6:02 remaining in the first half, Lynn Kidd and Tyler Nickel combined for 10 points in a 14-0 Virginia Tech run to help to give the Hokies a 44-41 halftime lead.
Kidd and Cattoor led the Hokies with 19 while Pedulla netted 18. Tyler Dagenhart paced four Broncos in double figures with 18.
“We’re disappointed, but we don’t have any time to be disappointed,” said Boise State head coach Leon Rice. “We’re working though some stuff. It was turnovers tonight.”