Hunter Cattoor ruled out with injury ahead of matchup between Virginia Tech vs. Miami

Virginia Tech will have to play again without one of their best sharpshooters and defenders on Saturday night. Point guard Hunter Cattoor will miss the Miami game tonight, due to an injury he suffered in the Clemson game a few days ago. Virginia Tech announced the news on their Twitter page an hour before the 7 pm EST tip-off time. Cattoor left the Clemson game with 3:32 remaining in the first half, after he was kicked in the face during a battle for a loose ball.

The Hokies battled the Hurricanes on Saturday night, but lost in a close one, 75-71. Sean Pedulla carried Virginia Tech most of the game with a career performance. He poured in 33 points in 38 minutes of work for the Hokies. Pedulla connected on 5 of 13 three pointers and grabbed 10 rebounds. He’s been on fire lately–scoring 26 points or more in the last three games (26 points against Florida State, 32 points against Clemson, and 33 points on Saturday night).

Cattoor has had a highly decorated career with the Virginia Tech Hokies, establishing himself as one of the best shooters in school history. He broke the school record for most three pointers in a career against Boise State, when he drilled his 268th three-pointer. Cattoor broke the record previously held by A.D. Vassallo, who played for Virginia Tech from 2005 to 2009. He hit five three-pointers in the game, pushing his total to 270 during his five years with the Hokies.

In the 2022 campaign, Cattoor led the ACC in three-point field goal percentage (42.4%), connecting on 78 of 184 threes. He also became the 50th member of the 1,000-point club for the Hokies (in the Miami game on Feb. 21). Cattoor also fractured the radius in his left elbow against Boston College–forcing him to miss four games.

In the 2021-2022 campaign, Cattoor had a breakout season for the Hokies, starting in all 36 games. He went ballistic in the ACC Championship Game against the Duke Blue Devils, erupting for 31 points in lifting Virginia Tech to their first ever ACC Tournament Championship. The sharpshooter drilled seven three pointers in the championship game, tying J.J. Redick for the second-most in the ACC Championship game in ACC history. Cattoor brought home the Everett Case Award–given to the ACC Tournament MVP.

Cattoor also tied the single-game school record for the most three-pointers made in a game that season, drilling nine threes and scoring 27 points against Florida State.