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14-0 Run Lifts Va. Tech Past Miami

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The Associated Press

Published: March 13, 2009

Updated: 03/13/2009 12:22 am

ATLANTA - Virginia Tech broke open a close game with a 14-0 run in the second half and beat Miami 65-47 in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament on Thursday to keep the Hokies' NCAA Tournament hopes alive.
Virginia Tech (18-13) will play top seed North Carolina in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals today.
Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg is trying to join his older brother, Radford coach Brad Greenberg, in the NCAA Tournament. Radford won the Big South championship Saturday.

Malcolm Delaney made only one of 10 shots from the field but made 14 of 15 free throws to lead Virginia Tech with 17 points. A.D. Vassallo added 14 points and eight rebounds.

The Hokies, who led by 14 points in the first half, were ahead only 43-37 midway through the second half before the 14-0 run. J.T. Thompson, who had 12 points, started the hot streak with back-to-back baskets and capped the run with a basket with 7:15 remaining for a 57-37 lead.
Adrian Thomas led Miami (18-12) with nine points.

GEORGIA TECH 86,

NO. 17 CLEMSON 81

Lewis Clinch set a career high with 32 points and last-place Georgia Tech pulled off the first upset of the tournament, beating No. 17 Clemson.

Clinch made five 3-pointers to carry the Yellow Jackets (12-18), who went 2-14 in the ACC during the regular season - including a pair of losses to the Tigers. He capped his performance with a pair of clinching free throws, eclipsing his career high of 30 points against Miami just eight days earlier.

Clemson (23-8) is now 0-for-56 in winning the ACC Tournament. The Tigers made it to the championship game a year ago before losing to North Carolina, but they were one-and-done at the Georgia Dome.
Gani Lawal added 20 points and 14 rebounds for the Yellow Jackets.

Trevor Booker paced Clemson with 17 points. Five other Tigers were in double figures, but it wasn't enough to handle the inside-outside attack of Lawal and Clinch.

MARYLAND 74,

NORTH CAROLINA STATE 69

Eric Hayes scored a career-high 21 points, including six free throws in the final 2:08, and Maryland took control with a late 11-0 run to beat North Carolina State.

N.C. State, which led by 13 points in the first half, held its last lead at 62-61 with 4:12 left. Maryland answered with 11 straight points, including five free throws by Hayes.

Hayes set a season high with five 3-pointers.

Greivis Vasquez had 17 points and 10 assists for Maryland (19-12), which boosted its NCAA Tournament hopes.

Julius Mays led N.C. State (16-14) with 18 points. Ben McCauley had 14 points and Dennis Horner had 11.

BOSTON COLLEGE 76,

VIRGINIA 63

Rakim Sanders scored 25 points and Boston College closed the first round with a sluggish win against Virginia.

The Eagles (22-10) built a 37-25 lead by halftime and coasted the rest of the way against the ACC's lowest-scoring team. Virginia finished the season 10-18, its worst since a 9-17 record in 1966-67.

Mamadi Diane led the Cavaliers with 24 points, hitting four of six from beyond the 3-point arc, but he had little offensive help. Virginia shot just 37.5 percent (21 of 56) from the field and turned it over 20 times.

Boston College advances to face No. 9 Duke in the quarterfinals tonight.

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