Three Takeaways From Virginia Tech Men's Basketball's 72-58 Loss To Duke

Josh Poslusny breaks down three takeaways from Virginia Tech's loss. Read more below.

Jan 31, 2026; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies forward Amani Hansberry (13) looks to shoot defended by Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12)during the second half at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

Virginia Tech lost a gritty game against Duke 72-58, but they kept themselves in the game the whole way, trailing by as little as six in the final eight minutes of play. There was some good and bad, let's dive into three takeaways from the loss.

Final. pic.twitter.com/g9EdhpjoDr

— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) January 31, 2026

No. 1: Virginia Tech can stick with anybody.

Virginia Tech lost this game handily when looking at the box score alone, but the Hokies kept in touch with Duke the whole way. They were down as much as 16 late in the first half; however, they spent the second half cutting the deficit and sliced it to six with just over six minutes to play.

"I've got a really good team," said Virginia Tech head coach. "They fight like hell."

And that's what Virginia Tech did. They kept in touch with Duke before ultimately slipping way and losing by 14.

"We had our chances and we let it off the hook," Young said.

The scoreless stretch toward the end is what ultimately made the difference. Virginia Tech was held scoreless for over five minutes, which allowed Duke to pad its lead.

No. 2: Virginia Tech has started to shorten its rotation.

Watching this game, it was clear. Hammond played all 40 minutes of basketball. Gurdak and Dorn combined to play for 11:49. While this could be a sign of things to come, Virginia Tech had to keep their top contributor in league play in Hammond against one of the top teams in college basketball.

The team is also expected to have forward Tyler Johnson for next Saturday against NC State. They will have a seven-day break where the team will have time to rest and recover before travelling to Raleigh.

No. 3: Neoklis Avdalas needs to adjust.

Avdalas has played well at points, but is being defended in a unique way. Consequently, he's had a load of trouble being able to adjust. He is shooting below 30% in ACC play and below 20% from beyond the arc.

The game is faster in America compared to the slower European-style of ball. Moreover, Avdalas is playing against some of the nation's top programs and teams. He will have a week to be able to rest and calm down, as will the coaching staff.

When they begin preparation for NC State, the staff will undoubtedly focus on getting Avdalas back where he needs to be. Young's assessment of what Avdalas needs to return to his old self was rather succinct.

"He just needs to see a few go in," Young said.