Mike Young credits Virginia Tech players for response in OT vs. Syracuse

The Virginia Tech Hokies got an important late-season win against the Syracuse Orange on Saturday. They were able to do so despite being taken to overtime after a chaotic final minute in regulation.

After the game, head coach Mike Young shared some thoughts on his team’s resilience. In particular, he praised them for their attitude and focus going into the overtime period.

“I don’t coach that,” Mike Young said. “I don’t teach that. Again, that’s just good people not becoming sad when something bad happens to you. They had great looks on their faces. We got it. We got the game won.”

It was a come-from-behind effort all the way through for Virginia Tech. After going into halftime trailing by nine points, the Hokies fought back, even taking a slight lead before Syracuse was able to force overtime. That’s when Mike Young saw his team pull away and win 101-95. They were able to do that despite the frustration of not being able to put the game away in regulation.

“Right back to come into overtime. We had a terrible foul. I think they hit a three to go up three. We come right back,” Young said. “Jaydon Young hits a three. I thought played very, very well in the overtime period. I thought Syracuse played very well in the overtime period. Good college basketball game.”

Virginia Tech’s offensive effort was a massive one, scoring 101 points. It was the team’s first time scoring more than 100 points in a game since November 6, 2023, when the Hokies beat Coppin State. It was also the first time that three Hokies scored 20 points or more in a single game since November 18, 2018. A total of five players were scoring in double-digits in the win.

With two games remaining in the regular season, Virginia Tech is 13-16 overall and 8-10 in ACC play. That puts them on the outside looking in of the NCAA Tournament in the latest bracketology. However, with a deep run in the ACC Tournament, they could potentially steal a bid.

Virginia Tech coach Mike Young expected to return in 2025-26

It has been a frustrating 2024-25 season for Mike Young and the Virginia Tech Hokies. Despite that, according to a recent report, he’s expected to return for the 2025-26 season.

According to Jeff Goodman, Virginia Tech will also supply Young with an increased NIL package. That’s something that’s considered important for the Hokies to figure out in a rapidly changing landscape.

For now, Mike Young and the Hokies will look to keep the focus on this season and the final two games they have. They’ll be back in action next against North Carolina on Tuesday.