Hokies advance to challenge #1 ranked Tar Heels

WSLS News Staff
Associated Press
Published: March 14, 2008

Virginia Tech bolsters their shot at an NCAA tournament bid by pulling away from Miami down the stretch in the ACC tournament.

The game stayed close throughout the first half, and much of the second.  Tech was ahead by 5 points with five and a half minutes to go in the second half, when the Hokies went on a run, and pulled away from the Hurricanes.

The win means the Hokies will take on #1 UNC on Saturday.  The Tar Heels dominated the Hokies in their meeting earlier at Chapel Hill, NC. 

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - A.D. Vassallo and Malcolm Delaney scored 15 points apiece and Virginia Tech continued its late-season surge with a 63-49 win over Miami today in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament.
    Deron Washington shook off a slow start to add 14 points and 12 rebounds for the fourth-seeded Hokies who improved to 19-and-12 and who kept their NCAA tournament hopes alive.
    The win earned them a date with top-ranked North Carolina in Saturday’s semifinals.
    Virginia Tech pulled away in the second half with a smothering defense against the fifth-seeded Hurricanes (22-10), who believe they’ve already locked up a spot in the NCAA field.
    Miami, which beat North Carolina State in Thursday’s first-round, went more than 7½ minutes without a field goal in Virginia Tech’s decisive run, and couldn’t overcome a second straight subpar game from its top scorer.
    Jack McClinton scored 16 points, but was only 4-of-17 from the field and 3-of-11 from 3-point range