Hokies Dump Seminoles For ACC Win

Hank Kurz Jr. AP Sports Writer
Published: January 30, 2008

  BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) - A.D. Vassallo scored 15 of his 22 points
in the first half and Virginia Tech opened the game with an 18-4
run and didn’t let mistake-prone Florida State get within single
digits until too late in an 89-80 victory Tuesday night.
    The Hokies (13-8, 4-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), coming off a
road victory at Boston College on Saturday, led 42-24 at the half
and by no fewer than 11 for most of the second half until Florida
State closed to within five in the final minutes.
    The Hokies clinched it at the free throw line, going 22-for-31
in the second half.
    The Seminoles (13-9, 2-5), made 8 of 11 from 3-point territory
in the second half to make it interesting, but lost for the fifth
time in six games. The Seminoles hurt their cause by committing 22
turnovers.
    Virginia Tech was 33-for-45 from the line overall.
    Hank Thorns added 15 points, Deron Washington had 14 and 10
rebounds, Malcolm Delaney scored 13 and J.T. Thompson 11 for the
Hokies. Jeff Allen, who returned from a two-game suspension for
making contact with an official in a loss at Georgia Tech, did not
start for Virginia Tech, played just 19 minutes and scored just
seven points.
    Jason Rich led Florida State with 22 points, and Ralph Mims had
17.
    Vassallo outscored the Seminoles 8-7 in the first 10 minutes as
Florida State made just 3 of 11 shots and turned the ball over five
times. The Hokies led 18-4 until Toney Douglas hit the first of
back-to-back 3-pointers with 10:49 remaining in the half.
    Florida State closed to within 24-14, but Vassallo added seven
more points in a 15-5 run that gave the Hokies their biggest lead
at 39-19. It was 42-24 at the half.