Lahaina, Hawaii • TJ Haws scored 13 of his 20 points during a key second-half run and Brigham Young made 17 3-pointers to beat Virginia Tech 90-77 Maui Invitational third-place game Wednesday night.
The Cougars (5-3) turned a tight game into a rout with an array of 3-pointers, making 8 of 14 in the second half. Haws went 4 for 7 behind the arc and BYU shot 54% to leave Maui with two big victories.
The Cougars went 17 for 34 from 3-point range and had six players score in double figures.
The Hokies (6-2) matched the Cougars shot for shot in a tight first half but couldn’t keep up in the second. Landers Nolley II had 22 points and P.J. Horne 13 for Virginia Tech, which lost despite shooting 53%.
The Hokies were picked to finished 14th in the ACC their first season under coach Mike Young but showed they might be a little better than that in Maui.
Virginia Tech pulled off the upset of the bracket by knocking off No. 3 Michigan State before losing to eventual runner-up Dayton.
BYU had a similar start in Maui in its first season under Mark Pope, knocking off UCLA before falling to No. 4 Kansas, which went on to win its third Maui title earlier Wednesday.
The Hokies and Cougars traded baskets in a back-and-forth Maui finale.
Virginia Tech did it from all over, hitting 15 of 27 shots. BYU did its damage from the 3-point arc, making nine from long range.
Nolley had 15 points to give the Hokies a 37-35 halftime lead.
BYU kept hitting shots in the second half and went on a 17-2 run to go up 58-48. Haws had 13 points during the run on three 3-pointers and two layups, including one on an inbound play under the basket after throwing the ball off the back of a Virginia Tech defender.
BYU kept making 3s to keep the Hokies from making a run.
BIG PICTURE
By winning two games in Maui against large-conference schools, BYU showed the West Coast Conference may be more than a two-team race between Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s.
Virginia Tech played well in Maui but ran into two hot-shooting teams. The Hokies may very well be better than expected.
UP NEXT
BYU hosts Montana Tech on Saturday.
Virginia Tech hosts top-ranked Duke on Dec. 6.
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