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Virginia Tech hoops hopes to silence a raucous Rupp Arena

Posted at 10:57 PM, Dec 15, 2017
and last updated 2017-12-15 23:46:48-05

LEXINGTON, KY. - Losing doesn't happen often for No. 8 ranked Kentucky. Losing at home happens even less. The Wildcats (8-and-1) have won 59 of their last 62 games at Rupp Arena, with their last home loss to an unranked team coming way back in 2014.

Rupp Arena is consistently loud. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Not every unranked team is 9-and-1 Virginia Tech, though. The Hokies have put together an identical start from last season through 10 games, making the most of their relatively easy non-conference schedule, but now face their tallest task of the season.

"I don't know if they're as good as multiple other teams we're going to play," said Hokies head coach Buzz Williams. "I don't know that there's an ambiance that's comparable to Kentucky, but if there are, they're in our league."

The ACC is home to some of the toughest crowds night in and night out, and Williams says "Louisville has that, Syracuse has that, Duke has that, Carolina has that, that's a part of it," in the ACC.

Tech has only traveled to Lexington twice in the school's four meetings, but both times came before Rupp Arena was around. The last time the Hokies beat Kentucky was in 1962.