There's no use in bloating it up here: It's end-of-game execution. That proved to be Virginia Tech's bane in the 2025-26 season, resulting in nine single-digit losses — including four by one possession and three by a single point.

Like the period entering last campaign, the Hokies' roster has seen a dramatic overhaul; only five of the 15 players on this season's squad were on last year's team. Preceding the 2025-26 season, only four returned from the 2024-25 team that came before it. Case in point, Virginia Tech is going a similar route — the transfer portal — but attacking it in a different way.

The distinction, however, won't mean much if the Hokies find themselves repeating the same mistakes that plagued them a season ago. Close games are an inevitability in ACC play, and while Virginia Tech proved capable of competing in those contests, its inability to consistently finish them ultimately became one of the defining characteristics of its season. The Hokies finished 19-13 (8-10 ACC) in 2025-26, missing the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight year.

There's a considerable difference between being competitive and actually winning. For the Hokies, bridging that gap will be one of the most important objectives entering the 2026-27 campaign. The solution isn't necessarily complicated, but executing it is another matter entirely.

Finding a solution

For starters, Virginia Tech needs to establish a reliable offensive identity when possessions become increasingly valuable. Late-game situations tend to expose teams that struggle with shot selection, ball security and offensive organization. When the margin for error shrinks, an empty possession can become the difference between a win and a loss.

That responsibility extends beyond whoever happens to have the basketball in their hands. Virginia Tech needs players who understand their respective roles. More importantly, the Hokies need to avoid becoming predictable when opponents know precisely where the ball is going. It may have those. It may not.

There is also the matter of free-throw shooting, rebounding and defensive discipline. Those fundamentals may not generate the same attention as a game-winning basket, but they can be just as consequential. A missed defensive rebound, an unnecessary foul or an inability to convert at the charity stripe can erase an otherwise strong performance.

With 10 newcomers on a 15-man roster, developing the familiarity necessary to execute under pressure will take time. Players must learn one another's tendencies, establish trust and develop an understanding of how their teammates respond in critical situations.

That process could prove especially important when the Hokies encounter their first genuine test of the season. It's one thing to execute a late-game possession during practice; it's another to do so with an opposing crowd roaring, the shot clock winding down and the outcome hanging in the balance.

The coaching staff, meanwhile, has an opportunity to address those shortcomings before they become recurring problems. Establishing a dependable late-game rotation, identifying trustworthy decision-makers and emphasizing situational basketball could help prevent the same issues from resurfacing.

Of course, there's no guarantee that those adjustments will translate into immediate results. Even experienced teams struggle to consistently close out games, and Virginia Tech's reconstructed roster presents an additional variable.

It's an issue that may be a red flag and turn out to be a red herring when the season starts. After all, the media has seen little of what's gone on in Cassell Coliseum, viewing one open practice session on Oct. 19. There's only so many takeaways to be made when precious little has been seen of the 2026-27 iteration.

However, that lingering issue from the 2025-26 season doesn't have an answer. It won't, at minimum, until the season opener in five days, and even then, it'll take several more games — or months — before an answer becomes clearly discernible.

For now, the question isn't whether Virginia Tech can put itself in a position to win close games. Last season demonstrated that much. The question is whether this year's iteration can finish the job when those opportunities present themselves.

Virginia Tech's season opens against Coppin State on Tuesday, Nov. 3, at 7 p.m. ET. The game will be available for viewing on the ACC Network.