Virginia Tech provided its perfect response after becoming unranked.

That would be a 72-56 smackdown against the Cal-State Northridge Matadors on Thursday at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif.

The win advances the Hokies (3-1) to the second round of the 76 Classic on Friday. They will play the winner of the DePaul-Oklahoma State game.

The Hokies had been ranked No. 24 but fell from the ESPN/USA Today poll after a 73-56 loss against No. 4 Kansas State.

A run deep into this tournament could help them become ranked again. They are currently 28th.

Guards Dorenzo Hudson and Malcolm Delaney led Virginia Tech. Both combined for 22 of the team’s 38 first-half points. The pair finished with 37, with Hudson gathering a team-leading 20 of those.

The Hokies were in control the entire game. They jumped to a 20-9 lead before the Matadors (1-3) reached double digits in points.

The lead was 37-18 at halftime, but the Matadors charged back with a 38-34 second half.

Rashaun McLemore led Cal-State Northridge with 17 points in the losing effort.