Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 11 No. 3 | January 2019

inside.hokiesports.com 31 HOKIES TRAVEL WITH MARTIN TRAVEL When planning a tour of Europe, a family vacation, a warm weather escape, or hitting the road to cheer the Hokies to victory, Martin Travel is the source for all your travel needs. Visit Your Local Store or MartinTravel.com Blacksburg | 1344 S. Main Street, Suite 3 | 540-951-7854 Martinsville | 156 East Market Street | 276-632-6126 Roanoke | 3615 Franklin Road SW | 540-343-5400 JUSTIN ROBINSON’S TOP PERFORMANCES Virginia Tech 77, No. 7 Miami 62 (March 5, 2016) As a freshman, Robinson scored 15 points, dished out eight assists and had five rebounds in the Hokies’ upset at Cassell Coliseum, lifting Tech to a fifth straight win to close the regular season. No. 8 Kentucky 93, Virginia Tech 86 (Dec. 16, 2017) Robinson scored 19 points and handed out nine assists in 38 minutes in the Hokies’ close road loss to an NBA-laden Wildcats roster. Virginia Tech 80, No. 10 North Carolina 69 (Jan. 22, 2018) Robinson scored 19 points to go with five rebounds and four assists, as the Hokies recorded a double-digit home win over the Tar Heels. Virginia Tech 85, NC State 75 (Feb. 7, 2018) Breaking the 30-point mark for the first time in his career, Robinson scored a career-high 32 points, hitting 11 of 17 from the floor, including two 3-pointers, at Cassell. He also had four assists. Virginia Tech 61, No. 2 Virginia 60, OT (Feb. 10, 2018)  Robinson scored 20 points and dished out seven assists in Charlottesville, as the Hokies pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Buzz Williams’ tenure. with 23 points and six assists in the win over then-No. 23 Purdue. Those performances, and many others, haven’t surprised his father. “He never believed he got the recognition that he deserved [in high school], and I would agree, so I told him to play with two chips on his shoulders—one on the left and one on the right,” Verdell Robinson said. “You have to earn what you get, so he always plays that way. It’s not being angry. It’s just the way he plays. “He’s learned different things, too. Sometimes there is a better plan, a better way to get there. So, no, I’m not surprised. I know what he’s possessed all these years.” All those games stand as great memories to Robinson, along with guiding the Hokies to the NCAA Tournament the past two seasons. But the two first-round exits gnaw at him—and motivate him. Tech went 11-1 against nonconference competition to start this season and opened ACC play Jan. 1 with a blowout of Notre Dame. Two games against the Irish and Virginia and games against North Carolina and Duke bring opportunities for the Hokies to bolster their NCAA Tournament resume and hopefully receive a bid for the third consecutive season, which would be a program first. “We have the right pieces,” Robinson said. “We have a group of guys that have battled adversity and a senior-led group. Our team knows how to respond to certain things, and we’re becoming more mature by the day, so I think that trends positively toward special things at the end of the year.” The end is quickly coming for Robinson, who graduated with a degree in communications in December. But for the most part, his legacy already has been written. Tech’s rise to prominence in college basketball coincides with his growth as a player. The two go hand in hand. Only the final chapter of that legacy remains to be written. Hopefully, it ends on a positive note. After four years of outstanding play and leadership—and a lifetime devoted to being the best at all things—Robinson certainly has earned that.