Virginia Tech’s Outlaw, former NC high school star, makes most of last shot
Ty Outlaw’s journey from Person County High star to Sweet 16 starter has been a wild ride — three schools, two missed seasons, one ACC award for spirit and courage.
And the last week, as the sweet-shooting Outlaw and his Virginia Tech team prepares to face top-seeded Duke in Friday’s East Regional semifinal, has been even crazier.
Outlaw was charged with possession of marijuana in Virginia while the Hokies were in California for the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament. Outlaw was with the team a continent away when there was a disturbance at his home that led to a search warrant. He was still in California when the search warrant was executed.
But Outlaw passed a drug test, and Virginia Tech announced Thursday that he will play against Duke. Virginia Tech coach Buzz Williams said the school followed its protocols and that Outlaw has “handled everything perfectly.”
Outlaw said he never worried that his season would be ended prematurely.
“Not me personally. I’m sure everybody else outside the program might have thought that,” said Outlaw, a graduate student. “But that’s the reason why we followed protocols and the reason why I trust in my coaching staff and Buzz Williams.”
Outlaw, 23, took the long road to Williams and Virginia Tech. A two-time high school all-state selection, he chose to remain close to his Roxboro home and attend UNC Greensboro. Duke was in touch, but Outlaw’s game needed refinement especially on defense, Person County High coach Charles Dacus said Thursday.
“Those that should have recruited him didn’t listen and those that did were too far away at that particular time,” said Dwayne West, Outlaw’s coach at Raleigh’s Garner Road AAU program, of ACC schools at the time. “He wanted to stay close to home.”
That didn’t last long. Outlaw left for Lee College, a junior college in Texas, after his freshman season, then transferred to Virginia Tech. But a heart condition kept him off the court for the entire 2015-16 season.
Cleared to play, Outlaw shot a sterling 48.6 percent from 3-point range in 2016-17, the first of three consecutive NCAA tournament seasons for the Hokies. He made a school-record eight 3s in a game against Miami.
“That shot is pretty,” West said.
But Outlaw tore ligaments in his knee in the summer of 2017, again forcing him to miss an entire season. Outlaw was granted medical redshirts for both seasons he missed. Outlaw graduated in 2018 with degrees in sociology and criminology and played this season as a graduate student. He won the ACC’s Bob Bradley Spirit and Courage Award, which goes to someone who has overcome significant hardship to contribute to his or her basketball team.
“He’s always been a kid that has handled adversity well,” said Dacus, who has known Outlaw since he was 4. “With the medical setbacks, I think he’s handled them perfectly. I couldn’t be more proud of him.”
Outlaw, a 6-foot-6 wing, is shooting 45.5 percent from 3-point range and averaging 8.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per game for Virginia Tech, which has won multiple NCAA tournament games for the first time since 1967. Outlaw had his first double-double of the season against Liberty in the second round, notching 10 points and 11 rebounds.
In the Hokies’ 77-72 home win against Duke in February, it was Outlaw who delivered the go-ahead basket. His 3-pointer with less than 90 seconds left broke a 70-70 tie and gave Virginia Tech the lead for good. Outlaw had four fouls with 6:43 left in the game and had just re-entered.
“There was no play call for me,” said Outlaw, who went 3-for-7 on 3s in the game. “It came my way and unconsciously I just shot the ball. That’s what I naturally do.”
Duke played that game without star Zion Williamson, and Alex O’Connell said Thursday that he overhelped on a drive, leaving Outlaw the time and space to get off the 3-pointer. The Blue Devils have held foes to a miserly 29.8 percent shooting from 3-point range on the season, but their first two NCAA foes have shot 41.8 percent from distance. It’s been a point of emphasis for the Blue Devils this week.
“He’s somebody that we can’t leave open because he’s going to make us pay like he did when we played them in Blacksburg,” Duke guard Jordan Goldwire said.
This story was originally published March 28, 2019 at 3:58 PM.
