Hokies hit 20 to assure tourney bye

February 25, 2007|Associated Press

Zabian Dowdell scored 20 points and four of his teammates were in double figures as Virginia Tech beat visiting Miami, 73-57, for its first 20-win season in 11 years and a bye in the first round of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament.

Coleman Collins scored 15 points for Tech (20-8, 10-4), Jamon Gordon had 13, Deron Washington 12, and A.D. Vassallo 11. Dowdell also had eight rebounds and three of Tech's eight steals.

Denis Clemente led the Hurricanes (11-17, 4-10) with 20 points, 13 in the first half. Jack McClinton added 12 points and Dwayne Collins 11 for Miami.

Virginia 75, Georgia Tech 69 -- J.R. Reynolds scored 25 points and Tunji Soroye had a key putback to help the 24th-ranked Cavaliers prevail in Charlottesville, Va.

Sean Singletary added 24 points for Virginia (19-8, 10-4), which got key baskets and 3-point plays by Soroye and Jason Cain in the final minutes to secure the comeback victory, and earn a critical bye in the first round of the ACC tournament.

Thaddeus Young scored 15 points, Ra'Sean Dickey added 14, and Javaris Crittenton had 12 for the Yellow Jackets (18-10, 6-8).

Florida St. 78, N.C. State 52 -- At Tallahassee, Al Thornton put up 17 points in the final regular-season home game of his career as the Seminoles (18-11, 6-9) snapped a five-game losing streak.