11 steals

Young Forever - Jay Z

I realized some of the teams we play are veteran teams. They know the Hoyas are a young team, so they're testing their hearts and I think we're finding out how tough are young Hoyas are. Know matter if it's a close game the Hoyas are being battled tested, and have been thus far. Just think the Hoyas will be "battle ready!"

"It was one of those games where we said, 'Let's try to 

make it as ugly as possible,' " Thompson said. "This group, we can win a lot of different ways. We can win at a fast pace. We can win at a slow pace. We can win what purists may call pretty. But we can also win ugly, and I thought that in the second half we had to win ugly today." 

Great way to put it coach! 

For a moment the game felt like the Tennessee game. Hoyas won a close game 46-40. The Towson Tigers hailing in from Baltimore came into phone booth hoping for an upset. Transfer forward now Tiger, Jerelle Benimon's return since he left the Hilltop .  Jerelle was still chewing gum as hard an anyone. It was great to see Jerrelle, but as he and I knew it was time for battle. Nothing else mattered. 

The Hoyas had to get the win. Once gain, they played tough defense  It pulled them through. A good defensive highlight for the Hoyas was eleven steals, Towson only two. Some of those steals were during crucial moments of the game which was good. Some were make up steals also. Well needed! Smile.

Hoyas shot poorly in the first half, but by the half the only shooting highlight in the stat box was from the free throw line (5-7). (5-30) field goals, (2-10) threes. Hoyas were in the bonus early than expected in the second half. Attack at will or get the ball inside. Automatic two freebies baby. 

Sitting here typing and watching a game former Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg, now an ESPN analyst today said, "one thing about John Thompson team's - they always find a way to win." That means a lot. I think after everyone says, "it was an ugly win" it's true, what Greenberg said, "the Hoyas always find a win no matter what the circumstance." 

Tiger defense played tough defense in the first half taking away easy shots for the Hoyas, but the blue and gray kept fighting through doing whatever it could to get a bucket. There was one person that knew perhaps more than what some the Hoyas team knows about their offense."I could read stuff.  I played in the offense, so it's just a whole bunch of reads, 

so once you see one thing you can sniff it out,"Benimon 

said. "It helped a lot, especially in the first half."

Gotta like our coach's awareness to answer some of these crazy reporters questions. 

Asked how many such games it will take before the lack of scoring becomes a trend of real concern, Thompson answered: "When we get there, I'll let you know."

Good and tough win for our Hoyas! R.I.P Coach Rick Majerus! 

Some great photo shots of the game photos courtesy of Christine Burns

more to come: