Instant Takeaways From Virginia Tech's 76-72 Loss to Virginia

Virginia Tech nearly erased a 16-point halftime deficit, but ultimately fell just short in 76-72 loss to Virginia on Saturday afternoon at John Paul Jones Arena.

The Hokies (19-12, 8-10 ACC) trailed 41-25 at halftime before storming back in the second half, briefly tying the game with just under 11 minutes remaining. Despite the rally, Virginia (27-4, 15-3 ACC) made enough plays late to hold off Tech and win the season finale.

Here are three takeaways from the Hokies' loss.

1. Slow start and early turnovers dug Virginia Tech a deep hole.

Virginia Tech never led in the game, and the biggest reason was the disastrous opening stretch.

The Cavaliers came out firing, opening the game on a 12-0 run in large part thanks to Malik Thomas. By the time Ben Hammond finally got the Hokies on the board with a three-pointer, Virginia had already seized full control.

At one point, Virginia was 6-for-11 from three point range, while Tech struggled to find any rhythm offensively.

The Hokies shot just 2-for-14 from deep in the first half, forcing contested perimeter shots while Virginia controlled the pace of the contest.

Turnovers made matters worse. Virginia Tech committed nine first-half turnovers, while Virginia had just three. Those mistakes turned into a 12-0 Cavaliers advantage in points off turnovers going into halftime.

Although Tech briefly cut the deficit to six late in the half, Virginia closed the period on a 12-2 run, taking a commanding 41-25 lead into halftime.

That early surge ultimately proved too much for the Hokies to fully overcome.

2. Virginia Tech's second-half fight nearly flipped the game.

After the break, the Hokies looked like a completely different team. Guard Ben Hammond sparked that comeback, being the engine to Virginia Tech's offense. He finished with 21 points, leading all scorers, five assists and five steals.

Midway through the half, the Hokies had come all the way back and tied the game at 51 off the back of two Neoklis Avdalas made free throws. The Hokies trailed as much as 17 at one point in the game.

But each time the Hokies built momentum, Virginia responded.

After Avdalas tied the game, the Cavaliers answered with an 8-0 run to bring Virginia's lead back up to multiple possessions.

The Hokies kept on fighting late. Guard Jailen Bedford hit a corner three with eight seconds remaining that cut the deficit to three, but Virginia's Devin Tillis made one of his two free throws after to seal the game for the Cavaliers.

3. The Hokies now face a do-or-die ACC Tournament for their NCAA hopes.

Beyond the rivalry loss, Saturday's result has major implications for Virginia Tech's postseason outlook.

The defeat locks the Hokies into the No. 12 seed in the ACC Tournament, putting them ina difficult path that will likely require multiple wins to keep their NCCAA Tournament hopes alive.

Before the game, Virginia Tech was projected as one of the first four teams out, but now, with the loss, the Hokies will need to make a run in the conference tournament.

The encouraging sign for Virginia Tech is the way it responded in the second half against a ranked rival on the road.

But at this stage of the season, moral victories don't carry weight with the selection committee. If the Hokies want to extend their season, they'll need to prove it next week in the ACC Tournament. Since Virginia Tech will be the No. 12 seed, its first game will come on Tuesday, Mar. 10, against the No. 13 seed. The game will start at 7:00 p.m. ET, and coverage will be on the ACC Network.