Hokies Complete Season Sweep of Terps

By DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer
Published: February 21, 2008

    COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) - Jeff Allen had 14 points and 14
rebounds, and Virginia Tech rallied to beat Maryland 69-65
Wednesday night to end a three-game losing streak.
    The Hokies (15-11, 6-6 ACC) trailed by 14 in the first half and
47-37 with 11 minutes left, but ended the game with a 32-18 run to
earn a rare win at Maryland and sweep the season series from the
Terrapins (17-10, 7-5).
    A.D. Vassallo scored 19 for Virginia Tech and Deron Washington
had 12. The Hokies were coming off a 39-point loss at North
Carolina and had not won at Maryland in five tries since 1951.
    Greivis Vasquez scored 25 for the Terrapins and Bambale Osby had
18. Maryland, which did not get a single point from anyone but its
five starters, dropped into a third-place tie with Clemson in the
ACC.
    Allen started the comeback with a basket that sparked an 8-point
burst that got the Hokies to 47-45. It was 51-45 before successive
baskets by Allen started another 8-point run that gave Virginia
Tech its first lead.
    Vasquez answered with a 3-pointer to put Maryland in front for
the last time. Baskets by Allen, Hank Thorns and Vassallo followed,
making it 61-54 with 1:27 to go.
    As they did in their home win over Florida State on Saturday,
the Terrapins got off to a fast start in the second half. It was
34-32 before Osby made a free throw, Landon Milbourne converted a
steal into a layup and James Gist added two straight baskets to put
Maryland up by 9.
    Vasquez capped the run with a layup before Allen scored the
Hokies’ second basket of the half with 13:04 left. But, just when
it seemed as if the Terrapins had taken control, Virginia Tech
mounted its improbable comeback.
    Vasquez scored 14 points, but Maryland made only one basket in
the final nine minutes of the first half in letting a 14-point
cushion shrink to 31-29.
    Milbourne got the Terrapins started with a 3-pointer off the
opening tip and Vasquez scored 5 straight points before Osby made
successive layups to spark an 8-0 spurt that made it 16-4.
    It was 22-14 when Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg received a
technical foul. After Eric Hayes made both free throws, baskets by
Vasquez and Osby capped another 8-point spree that put the Terps up
28-14.
    The Hokies then kept Maryland scoreless for more than seven
minutes during an 11-point run.