Turnovers hurt Virginia Tech in close loss to No. 19 Louisville

Those were the first two words out of Mike Young's mouth as the Virginia Tech men's basketball coach opened his press conference after his team's 71-66 to No. 19 Louisville at Cassell Coliseum on Tuesday night.

"Twenty-two turnovers. Miserable," Young said.

The Hokies (12-16, 7-10 ACC) did indeed turn the ball over 22 times Tuesday, including two times in the final minute.

Tech had committed a season-low five turnovers in last weekend's win at Miami.

"Miami doesn't guard anything," Young said. "Louisville guards. … They've got a good outfit on the defensive end."

The 22 turnovers were Tech's second-highest total of the season. Tech entered the game averaging a league-high 12.8 turnovers.

"Miami, they kind of let you run your stuff. Louisville jacked us up," said Tech backup point guard Brandon Rechsteiner, who had 18 points, four 3-pointers, four assists and four turnovers. "Miami, their ball pressure's not very heavy. When someone sets a screen, they kind of let you get it. But Louisville, they're trying to blow up screens. When I'm coming off screens, they're grabbing, they're pushing."

The Cardinals (22-6, 15-2) recorded nine steals. They scored 26 points off Tech's turnovers.

"Especially down the stretch, … our defense really carried us," Louisville coach Pat Kelsey said. "We really wanted to try to disrupt them. … Being able to turn them over a lot was, I think, a major factor."

"That's what kills us," Tech reserve forward Ben Burnham said. "We've got to take care of the ball and be tougher — sure with our passes. They were trying to blow some of our stuff up and being real physical and we've just got to match that physicality better."

After Tobi Lawal and Rechsteiner made back-to-back baskets to cut the Louisville lead to one point, James Scott (13 points) grabbed an offensive rebound after a Chucky Hepburn miss. Scott dunked to extend the lead to 69-66 with 1:03 left.

"That's the difference between winning and losing, are plays like that," Young said of Scott's offensive rebound.

Rechsteiner, trying to make a cross-court pass to Burnham, threw the ball into the stands with 48 seconds left.

"I kind of just let it go too early. It slipped out of my hands and the ball went up and (I) just threw it out of bounds," Rechsteiner said. "I knew it was a turnover right away, just the way I released it."

Hepburn (15 points, six assists) turned the ball over with 26.1 seconds left, but Tech again failed to get a shot up.

Jaydon Young tried to pass the ball to Rechsteiner, but J'Vonne Hadley deflected it. Rechsteiner tried to corral the loose ball, but Hadley came up with it. Hadley passed to Reyne Smith, who was fouled. Smith made two free throws with seven seconds left to seal the win.

That turnover was credited to Jaydon Young because of the deflected pass.

"They decided to switch everything and it kind of jacked us up," Rechsteiner said. "When (Young) dribbled over, (Hadley) kind of just shot the gap. … We both got our hands (on the ball) and it kind of bounced down, hit off my foot and it was about to roll out (of bounds); he saved it."

Lawal had more turnovers (four) than points (two). Fellow starter Jaden Schutt also had more turnovers (two) than points (zero).

"Lawal is a super-talented player. He was not very good tonight," Mike Young said. "Schutt is a very talented player. Jaden had the O line; there's Os all the way across. We've got to get those two guys going."

Point guard Ben Hammond also had more turnovers (four) than points (two).

Tech played without starting center Mylyjael Poteat, who suffered a bone bruise in his knee at Miami. Mike Young expects him to play Saturday against Syracuse.

"Not having Mylyjael, that definitely hurts," Rechsteiner said.

The Hokies became only the second ACC team this season to lose to Louisville by five points or less.

"I'm elated with our team's competitive spirit," Mike Young said. "They fought like crazy."

Tech made 11 3-pointers to Louisville's six and outrebounded the visitors 37-30.

"I have a ton of respect for Mike," Kelsey said. 'Every time you play against him you feel like you're getting opened up and getting operated on.

"They battled us. We don't get beat on the backboard very often and we got beat tonight."

Down 50-39 with 13:10 to go, Tech went on a 14-3 run to tie the game at 53 with 10:32 left.

"We buckled down and really defended," Mike Young said.

The Hokies then had chances to take their first lead of the game but missed four shots and turned the ball over three times. Hepburn then scored to give the visitors a 55-53 lead.

Patrick Wessler scored to tie the game at 55 with 7:28 to go. Tech had two more chances to take the lead, but a Young shot was blocked and Young committed a turnover. Hepburn then made two free throws to give the Cardinals the lead for good at 57-55 with 6:09 to go.

Burnham, who played for Kelsey at The College of Charleston, had 13 points for Tech. He said it was fun to play against his former coach.

Tyler Johnson scored 12 points for Tech. Young added 11 points off the bench.

Louisville jumped to an 11-0 lead with 16:39 to go in the first half. Tech had five turnovers at that point, including two by Lawal.

"His ball skills are so pitiful to start the game," Mike Young said of Lawal. "He had three of our 12 turnovers in the first half."

Down 18-6, the Hokies went on an 11-2 run to cut the lead to 20-17. The Cardinals led 34-26 at halftime.

Tech reserve Rodney Brown missed his fourth straight game with a toe injury. Mike Young said he expects Brown to return to action Saturday or next Tuesday.