BLACKSBURG — Virginia Tech men's basketball returns to Cassell Coliseum tonight at 7 p.m. ET, looking to build on its biggest victory of the young 2026-27 season when it squares off against Mount St. Mary's.

The Hokies (3-0), fresh off a thrilling 93-88 overtime victory over Iowa in Sioux City on Tuesday, enter Friday's contest with considerable momentum. After opening the campaign with comfortable victories over Coppin State and Mercer, Virginia Tech passed its first significant test against the Hawkeyes.

Mount St. Mary's (1-1), meanwhile, enters the matchup having split its first two contests. The Mountaineers suffered a 97-52 defeat at Xavier in their season opener Nov. 2 before rebounding with a 68-57 victory over Loyola (MD) four days later. In the latter, Mount St. Mary's holding the Greyhounds to just 29.5% shooting from the field.

Though the Mountaineers represent a step down in competition from Iowa, Friday's contest offers Virginia Tech an opportunity to avoid a letdown following an emotional early-season victory. With Richmond coming to Blacksburg on Monday and the Charleston Classic looming next weekend, the Hokies have little time to dwell on their latest triumph.

Preview

Perhaps the biggest storyline entering Friday is the continued emergence of junior guard Ben Hammond, who has established himself as one of the ACC's most productive players through three games.

Hammond finished with a career-high 32 points against Iowa, shooting 9-for-16 from the field, 3-for-5 from beyond the arc, and a perfect 11-for-11 from the charity stripe. He also added five rebounds and four assists before fouling out with 1.4 seconds left in regulation.

Through three games, averaging 22.7 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.3 steals per game. After averaging 5.6 points as a freshman and 13.2 points last season, Hammond has taken another step forward offensively while enhancing his activity on the defensive end.

When Hammond fouled out, Oklahoma State transfer Jaylen Curry was there to pick up the slack.

Curry finished with 25 points against the Hawkeyes, including nine in overtime, providing Virginia Tech with the additional perimeter scoring it needed to secure the victory. The junior guard also surpassed 1,000 career points in the contest.

Through three games, Curry is averaging 19.3 points per contest, giving Virginia Tech a formidable backcourt tandem capable of generating offense in a variety of ways. That development could prove particularly important as the Hokies move deeper into their nonconference schedule.

Senior forward Amani Hansberry has also provided a consistent offensive presence, following his career-high 23-point performance against Mercer with 16 points against Iowa. Hansberry went 7-for-12 from the field Tuesday, though he finished with three rebounds in 40 minutes.

Despite securing the victory against the Hawkeyes, the Hokies were outrebounded 40-26, including a 16-9 disadvantage on the offensive glass. Iowa's Isaia Howard alone collected 15 rebounds,, a career-high.

Virginia Tech compensated with efficient shooting, connecting on 53.6% of its field-goal attempts and 38.9% of its looks from beyond the arc. The Hokies also converted 26 of their 33 free-throw attempts, an important factor in a contest that featured 56 combined fouls.

Against the Mountaineers, Virginia Tech should have an opportunity to establish a more consistent presence on the glass while continuing to develop its offensive chemistry.

Mount St. Mary's struggled considerably in its opener against Xavier, falling by 45 points in Cincinnati. The Mountaineers managed just 52 points against the Musketeers, an early indication of the difficulties they could encounter against high-major competition.

Mount St. Mary's limited the Greyhounds to 18-for-61 shooting, including a 9-for-30 clip inside the arc. Loyola also connected on just nine of its 31 attempts from 3-point range, allowing the Mountaineers to maintain control throughout much of the contest.

Junior guard Redd Thompson Jr. led the way offensively with 17 points, six rebounds and five assists. Abdou Khadre Kébé added 15 points, six rebounds and two assists, matching his career high in scoring. The 6-foot-7 guard presents an interesting matchup because of his size and defensive versatility, particularly against Virginia Tech's smaller backcourt.

Redshirt senior forward Wilguens Junior Exacte is another player worth monitoring. The 6-foot-6 swingman has been one of Mount St. Mary's most consistent contributors through two games, totaling 12 points and seven rebounds against Xavier before following that performance with 14 points and eight rebounds against Loyola.

Virginia Tech owns a 5-0 all-time record against Mount St. Mary's, with the programs last meeting Jan. 2, 2011. The Hokies dominated that contest, securing a 99-34 victory in Blacksburg.

The previous meeting, however, was considerably more competitive. On Nov. 17, 2008, Virginia Tech overcame a six-point deficit with 2:22 remaining to escape with a 62-57 victory.

Mount St. Mary's is 2-27 all-time against ACC opponents, although one of those victories came relatively recently. The Mountaineers defeated Miami 78-74 in overtime on Dec. 21, 2024, demonstrating their ability to occasionally spring an upset against a high-major opponent.

That same season, Mount St. Mary's reached the NCAA Tournament before falling 93-49 to top-seeded Duke in the opening round. The Mountaineers were picked eighth in the 13-team Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference preseason poll ahead of this season.

The Hokies have already accomplished something significant with their victory over Iowa, which reached the Elite Eight last season. However, capitalizing on that result requires taking care of business against opponents they are expected to defeat.

Head coach Mike Young's squad has shown encouraging signs offensively, particularly through the development of Hammond and Curry. The question now becomes whether the Hokies can maintain that production while improving their rebounding and avoiding defensive lapses.

Closing Thoughts and Score Prediction

Virginia Tech enters Friday's matchup as the considerably more talented team, and I expect that difference to become apparent relatively early.

Mount St. Mary's should be able to make things interesting in stretches, particularly if Kébé and Exacte can capitalize on Virginia Tech's rebounding inconsistencies. The Mountaineers also demonstrated against Loyola that they're capable of frustrating opposing offenses when their defensive rotations are working.

However, I have a difficult time envisioning Mount St. Mary's generating enough consistent offense to keep pace with Virginia Tech for 40 minutes.

I wouldn't be surprised if Tech experiences a brief offensive lull following its emotionally charged victory over Iowa, but I expect Young's squad to eventually establish control and pull away in the second half.

Final score prediction: Virginia Tech 86, Mount St. Mary's 61

Coverage for the Hokies' contest against the Mountaineers will be available on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX), with tipoff scheduled for 7 p.m. ET at Cassell Coliseum.