Virginia Tech bounces Boise State after sluggish start

Lynn Kidd and Hunter Cattoor each scored 19 points and Virginia Tech recovered from a tough start to defeat Boise State 82-75 on Thursday night on the opening day of the ESPN Events Invitational in Kissimmee, Fla.

Sean Pedulla had 18 points and seven assists and Tyler Nickel provided 14 points off the bench for the Hokies.

Virginia Tech (4-1) meets undefeated Iowa State, a 68-64 winner earlier against Virginia Commonwealth, in a Friday semifinal. Boise State (2-2) will play Virginia Commonwealth in a consolation game.

Tyson Degenhart's 18 points and eight rebounds and Chibuzo Agbo's 15 points led Boise State, while reserve O'Mar Stanley posted 13 points and Max Rice had 12 points.

Boise State, which was harmed by 16 turnovers, had a chance to go ahead with less than three minutes to play. Rice missed a 3-pointer, and Virginia Tech's answer came with five straight points from Pedulla — a 3-pointer and a layup on the next two possessions — to stretch the Hokies' edge to 77-70.

After Rice's 3 with 3:17 to play, the Broncos went more than three minutes without scoring until three Degenhart free throws with 14 seconds remaining.

The Hokies made 23 of 27 free throws.

Cattoor, playing near his hometown of Orlando, made four 3-pointers in the first half. He needed three treys to become Virginia Tech's career leader. He added another in the second half to push his total with the Hokies to 270.

Boise State bounced out to a 14-2 lead and held a 10-point edge with about six minutes left in the first half. But the Hokies got things rolling with a 14-0 run. Virginia Tech scored its last six points of the half on free throws and led 44-41 at the break.

The Broncos went back ahead in the second half, then the game was tied at 60-60 before a Nickel free throw with 8:04 left gave the Hokies the lead for keeps.

—Field Level Media