Virginia Tech 66, Bradley 65 (OT)
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Virginia Tech's Erick Green led the Hokies with 31 points, including five in a crucial sequence in overtime, in a 66-65 victory over Bradley in the semifinals of the Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic.
Green converted a three-point play and then made a layup following a turnover to put Virginia Tech ahead 66-65 with 18.4 left in overtime.
After Bradley's Walt Lemon Jr. missed two free throws, the Braves (8-3) regained possession when Green could not handle the rebound and the ball went out of bounds. Lemon's drive to the basket bounced off the rim as time expired and the Hokies prevailed.
Virginia Tech (9-2) will play the winner of the Colorado State-Portland game that was played late Saturday night at the Orleans Arena.
Green, the second-leading scorer in the nation, averaging 24.8 points entering the game, has scored at least 20 points in the Hokies' 11 games this season. He also pulled down eight rebounds against the Braves.
He scored six points in an 8-0 run for Virginia Tech that gave the Hokies' a 53-51 lead with 4:47 remaining in regulation. The Hokies trailed by as many as 13 points.
Jordan Prosser made a layup with 4:33 remaining to tie the game at 53. Bradley did not score again until Lemon stole the ball from Green and made a layup with 9 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game at 55.
After a Virginia Tech timeout, Green missed a 10-foot jumper as time expired in regulation.
Bradley was in command for most of the first half thanks to its three-point shooting and Virginia Tech's turnover problems. The Braves built their biggest lead of the half - 23-10 with 9:52 remaining - after consecutive three-pointers by Jalen Crawford and Will Egolf.
Egolf's three-pointer culminated an 11-1 run, which included three of Virginia Tech's 15 first-half turnovers.
Green and power forward Cadarian Raines did not allow the game to get out of hand. Green had 11 points on 4 of 5 shooting from the field, including both tries from three-point range. Raines was 4 of 6 with all his shots in the paint and had 10 points at the half.
A reserve guard, Crawford made all three of his three-pointers as Bradley went 6 of 12 from beyond the arc as the Braves took a 35-25 halftime lead. Crawford led the Braves with nine points at that point and starter Dyricus Simms-Edwards, who made both of his three-point attempts, had eight.
NOTES: Virginia Tech has just seven scholarship players after freshman sixth man Marshall Wood (5.8 points and 4.5 rebounds a game) broke his foot last week against Georgia Southern. ... Bradley and Virginia Tech played common opponents Mississippi Valley State and Georgia Southern at home in the week heading into the bracketed portion of the tournament in Las Vegas. Both beat Mississippi Valley State easily but while Bradley routed Georgia Southern 62-43, Virginia Tech lost to the Eagles 78-73.
