Virginia Tech MBB vs. Coppin State Live Updates: Score and Analysis From Season Opener

BLACKSBURG — Virginia Tech men's basketball opens its 2026-27 season tonight, ushering in its eighth year under head coach Mike Young. Read below for a game thread, organized in reverse chronological order.

FINAL | Virginia Tech 88, Coppin State 54

Virginia Tech opens its season with a win for the 11th straight season. Four double-digit scorers: Ben Hammond (20), Jaylen Curry (19), Amani Hansberry (16) and Tyler Johnson (13).

H2 3:08 | Virginia Tech 80, Coppin State 49

The Hokies are up 31 at the U-4 media timeout. Twenty, 19 and 16 from Hammond, Curry and Hansberry.

H2 3:33 | Virginia Tech 80, Coppin State 49

And Hammond's the first to reach 20 points. 6-of-14 today — including a 4-of-9 mark from 3-point land.

H2 4:43 | Virginia Tech 74, Coppin State 46

Hammond up to 17 off a pair of free throws. The Hammond-Hansberry-Curry trio has combined for 49 points today.

H2 6:44 | Virginia Tech 72, Coppin State 44

Curry boosts his total to a team-high 17 with a layup — and then to 19 with the and-one. Could be the first this game to get to 20 points if he converts the free throw.

H2 7:55 | Virginia Tech 68, Coppin State 44

We've reached the U-8 timeout. Curry and Hammond lead the team with 15 points; Hammond has a career-high seven steals. Hansberry's added on 13 points, six rebounds and four assists. Tyler Johnson has nine points, six rebounds and two assists.

H2 11:45 | Virginia Tech 63, Coppin State 38

The Hokies are an even 50% both from the field (6-for-12) and 3-point range (3-for-6). Curry with 15 points (but five TOs). Hammond (six assists) and Hansberry (six rebounds, four assists) with 13 points apiece; Johnson with nine.

H2 12:00 | Virginia Tech 63, Coppin State 38

Virginia Tech guard Tyler Johnson buried his second shot of the game. Nine points for Johnson, supplemented by five rebounds, two assists.

H2 13:00 | Virginia Tech 60, Coppin State 36

Virginia Tech up 24 now after an Amani Hansberry lay-up. He now has 13 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals. The senior forward's doing a bit of everything today.

H2 15:53 | Virginia Tech 54, Coppin State 31

The Hokies are up 23 at the media time out. Isaiah Elohim banged another triple. He's 2-for-3 from long range, though he's 0-for-3 inside the arc.

H2 START | Virginia Tech 48, Coppin State 27

The Hokies' first bucket of the second half was exactly the same as its opening first-half make: a Ben Hammond three. He's 5-of-11 (3-of-6 from 3) for 13 points and five steals.

HALFTIME | Virginia Tech 45, Coppin State 27

Thirty-six of the #Hokies' 45 points have came from Jaylen Curry (team-high 15 points), Amani Hansberry (11) and Ben Hammond (10). Virginia Tech hoisted 14 3-pointers in the opening frame, burying seven. Stats:

H1 1:22 | Virginia Tech 42, Coppin State 21

Jaylen Curry is now 4-of-6 (3-for-5 from 3-point). He's up to 15 points. He, Hammond and Hansberry have totaled a combined 33 points.

H1 2:27 | Virginia Tech 39, Coppin State 17

The Hokies' lead has reached 20-plus for the first time today off an Isaiah Elohim bucket. It's his first points of the day (and for VT); he was 0-for-3 prior to the shot.

H1 3:38 | Virginia Tech 36, Coppin State 17

Hansberry split his pair at the stripe. He's compiled eight points, three boards and three assists in tonight's opener.

H1 3:40 | Virginia Tech 35, Coppin State 17

The Hokies are up 18 at the U-4 MTO. Tech's Amani Hansberry to the free-throw line for two when we come back.

H1 6:16 | Virginia Tech 33, Coppin State 16

Virginia Tech lengthens its lead to 17 off a quick five-point burst. A Hammond layup — he and Curry each have 10 points — and a Curry 3-pointer off the feed from Hammond has the Hokies carrying momentum into the U-8 media timeout.

H1 7:35 | Virginia Tech 28, Coppin State 16

Two straight rushes possessions. Isaiah Elohim and Amani Hansberry both went up for dunks but neither fell. The latter sequence resulted in a Coppin State fast-break layup.

The Hokies are up 12.

H1 8:04 | Virginia Tech 27, Coppin State 14

And in comes sophomore forward Sin'Cere Jones. The Hokies have put 11 players on the court within the first 12 minutes.

H1 9:21 | Virginia Tech 26, Coppin State 14

Virginia Tech up 12 with just under nine and a hal minutes to go. The Hokies' Solomon Davis getting his first-ever collegiate minutes, playing at the five. Hammond and Hansberry still with 15 combined points.

H1 11:20 | Virginia Tech 22, Coppin State 12

The Hokies' advantage back up to double-digits. Curry sank a 3-pointer — Virginia Tech is 4-of-7 from deep and 5-of-9 inside.

H1 12:08 | Virginia Tech 19, Coppin State 9

Coppin State calls time after an Amani Hansberry tip-in. Hansberry and Hammond have combined for 15 of Virginia Tech's first 19 points on 6-of-10 (3-of-5 from 3-point) shooting.

The Hokies have taken 15 shots to Coppin State's eight and have a 4-0 steal differential. Virginia Tech has seven second-chance points to the Eagles' zero.

H1 13:30 | Virginia Tech 15, Coppin State 7

Hammond with the steal-and-score. He's now 3-of-4 for eight points and two steals. The 5-foot-11 guard was in the perfect spot for that takeaway.

H1 13:53 | Virginia Tech 13, Coppin State 7

Coppin State thinned the lead off a Brendan Johnson 3-pointer — he's still got all of the Eagles' points — but Virginia Tech countered with a Jaylen Curry jumper.

H1 14:53 | Virginia Tech 11, Coppin State 4

Out of the timeout, Hammond buries a triple on the #Hokies' first post-U16 possession. He's 2-of-3 for six points, all off 3-pointers.

H1 17:05 | Virginia Tech 8, Coppin State 2

The first VT newcomer on the board is Miles Heide. The 6-foot-10 center got to the rack for two points. The Hokies are on an eight-point run.

H1 17:28 | Virginia Tech 6, Coppin State 2

Who else? #Hokies' first two buckets are both threes. Came from Ben Hammond, Amani Hansberry.

Q1 18:14 | Virginia Tech 3, Coppin State 2

Who else? The Hokies' first bucket is a Ben Hammond trey from the left wing.

Q1 18:40 | Coppin State 2, Virginia Tech 0

First bucket is a Brendan Johnson jumper on the left. #Hokies trail.

Q1 18:55 | Virginia Tech 0, Coppin State 0

The ball was poked away from Jaylen Curry, who saved it but had to force up an off-kilter three. No good — the Hokies are 0-for-2 to start.

Q1 19:40 | Virginia Tech 0, Coppin State 0

Virginia Tech's first shot was an Isaiah Elohim drive off the left that was stuffed out of bounds by Coppin State's Brendan Johnson.

Q1 START | Virginia Tech 0, Coppin State 0

Coppin State wins the tip. And Virginia Tech's 2026-27 season is underway.

Pre-Game Notes

The Hokies' starting lineup is as follows:

No. 0 - guard Jaylen Curry
No. 2 - guard Isaiah Elohim
No. 3 - guard Ben Hammond
No. 6 - center Miles Heide
No. 13 - forward Amani Hansberry

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