Robinson, Alexander-Walker spark Virginia Tech's blowout win

Hokies beat Yellow Jackets 76-56 in Atlanta Saturday

ATLANTA (AP) – Justin Robinson scored 18 points, Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 14 and Virginia Tech blew out reeling Georgia Tech 76-56 on Saturday.
    
Coach Buzz Williams rested his starters for most of the second half as the Hokies (19-8, 8-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) dominated both ends of the floor. Their five ACC road wins are a single-season high for Virginia Tech, which has won six of eight overall.
    
Virginia Tech led by 14 at intermission but outscored the Yellow Jackets 21-3 to begin the second half and later led by 35 on P.J. Horne's jumper with 8:37 remaining.
    
Georgia Tech (11-16, 4-10) has lost five straight and nine of 10 to fall into 13th place in the 15-team ACC. Tadric Jackson scored 17 points and Josh Okogie had 10 for the Jackets, but they weren't easy points as the two star guards missed a combined 23 of 31 shots from the field
    
The game was essentially decided in the first 20 minutes. Virginia Tech, ranked fifth nationally in field-goal percentage, did whatever it pleased against the Jackets' zone defense, assisting on 14 of 16 baskets before halftime and burying Georgia Tech's offense after it jumped out to a six-point lead in the first 4 minutes.
    
TIP-INS
    
Virginia Tech: After a dramatic overtime performance that snapped Virginia's 15-game winning streak last weekend, the Hokies followed up with an 18-point loss at Duke, but they showed no lingering effects and mostly took a breather against Georgia Tech. Williams is accustomed to using 10 players in most games - eight players began the day averaging at least 10 minutes a game - and he got to play his reserves for most of the second half. Even better, the two starters to play the longest, Bibbs and Kerry Blackshear, were done after 24 minutes.
    
Georgia Tech: It's not getting any easier for the Jackets, who have been consumed by injuries and off-the-court civil allegations involving coach Josh Pastner and a former friend. Point guard Jose Alvarado was lost to a season-ending elbow injury last Sunday against Duke. Freshman guard Curtis Haywood was lost to a season-ending shin injury late last month. Ben Lammers emerged as a standout ACC center last season, but he's playing on a tender ankle and clearly has his range limited. Georgia Tech trailed by 19 early in the second half when Lammers went to the bench for a break. He soon came back in and hit a runner, but the lead stood at 24.
    
UP NEXT
    
Virginia Tech: Hosts No. 11 Clemson on Wednesday.
    
Georgia Tech: Visits No. 1 Virginia on Wednesday.
    
___
    
For more AP college basketball coverage: http://www.collegebasketball.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_Top25

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2/17/2018 2:30:53 PM (GMT -5:00)