BLACKSBURG, Va. (Interstat) — Ebuka Okorie’s step-back 3-pointer with three seconds remaining lifted Stanford to a dramatic 69-68 victory over Virginia Tech in an Atlantic Coast Conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at a raucous Cassell Coliseum.

The Cardinal, who trailed by seven at halftime, closed the game on a 12-1 run over the final 3:18, capped by Okorie’s cold-blooded game-winner. The junior guard from Nashua, New Hampshire, finished with a game-high 31 points and six assists, orchestrating Stanford’s second-half comeback and delivering the final dagger.

The most critical sequence of the game unfolded in the frantic final minute. With Stanford trailing 67-61, Okorie converted a tough layup while being fouled and made the ensuing free throw to cut the deficit to three with 2:09 left. After Virginia Tech’s Ben Hammond split a pair of free throws, Okorie drove for another layup to make it 68-66 with 1:40 remaining.

Virginia Tech had a chance to extend its lead, but Neoklis Avdalas missed a 3-pointer, and Stanford’s Benny Gealer secured the defensive rebound. The Cardinal worked the ball to Donavin Young, who calmly sank a 3-pointer from the wing with 28 seconds left, giving Stanford its first lead since early in the first half at 69-68.

The Hokies had the final possession. Avdalas, who led Virginia Tech with 21 points, was fouled on a drive with 16 seconds remaining. He missed the first free throw but made the second, tying the game at 69. Stanford called timeout to set up the final play.

Inbounding from the frontcourt, the Cardinal got the ball to Okorie at the top of the key. Isolated against his defender, he dribbled left, stepped back, and launched the decisive 3-pointer over outstretched arms, silencing the crowd of 5,427.

Virginia Tech’s last-gasp inbounds pass was stolen by Stanford’s Oskar Giltay from Bilzen, Belgium, to seal the win.

The game was a tale of two halves and contrasting styles. Virginia Tech controlled the first 20 minutes, taking a 31-24 lead into the break by leveraging its size and aggressiveness, earning 19 trips to the free-throw line and converting 13. Stanford, meanwhile, struggled from the field early.

The Cardinal flipped the script after halftime, unleashing a 45-point second half fueled by improved shooting and relentless defense. Stanford shot 45.2% from the field after the break and connected on 6 of 14 from 3-point range. Defensively, they amassed seven steals and six blocks, disrupting the Hokies’ rhythm and generating 11 points off turnovers.

Virginia Tech’s offense, which had flowed through Avdalas and Hammond in the first half, became stagnant down the stretch. The Hokies managed just one field goal in the final 4:15 — a Tobi Lawal hook shot — and committed two costly turnovers in the last two minutes.

Stanford’s balanced support behind Okorie proved vital. Young, a sophomore from Pasco, Washington, provided a crucial spark off the bench with 11 points, including three second-half 3-pointers. Giltay anchored the interior with eight points, 11 rebounds and two blocks, while Gealer added nine points, all from beyond the arc.

Virginia Tech was led by Avdalas’s 21 points and Hammond’s 14. Amani Hansberry of Silver Spring, Maryland, posted a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. The Hokies won the battle on the glass, grabbing 13 offensive rebounds, but were ultimately undone by a season-low four assists and Stanford’s late defensive stands.

The victory improved Stanford’s record to 13-3 overall and marked a significant road win in ACC play. The Cardinal, who were projected by Interstat’s ELO system to have just a 37.6% chance to win, overcame a pregame spread that had them as 5.5-point underdogs. The total score of 137 fell well under the over/under line of 144.5.

Virginia Tech fell to 12-4 with the heartbreaking loss, its second in three games.

Stanford continues its East Coast road trip at Virginia on Saturday. Virginia Tech looks to rebound at home against California the same day.