NASSAU, The Bahamas — Virginia Tech men’s basketball stumbled for the first time this season, falling 77-66 to Saint Mary’s on Friday in the Battle 4 Atlantis. The Gaels — who are receiving votes in the AP Top 25 — controlled the game from start to finish, handing the Hokies their first defeat and sending Tech (6-1) into Saturday’s third-place matchup against in-state rival VCU.

The Hokies endured another sluggish start, trailing 10-2 at the first media timeout as all five of their early 3-point attempts missed and Saint Mary’s dominated the glass with an 8-2 rebounding edge. The deficit grew into double digits — the first such hole Tech has faced this season — while the Gaels dictated tempo and physicality throughout the opening half.

Freshman guard Ben Hammond, starting in place of an

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