February 13, 2011
Hokies roll in 102-77 victory over Georgia Tech
By Jimmy Robertson
12F
Georgia Tech (10-14, 3-8 ACC) 374077
Virginia Tech (16-7, 6-4 ACC) 5349102
  • Cassell Coliseum, Blacksburg, Va. - 9,847
  • High Points: 33 - Malcolm Delaney
  • High Rebounds: 14 - Jeff Allen

BLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech’s Malcolm Delaney scored 22 of his season-high 33 points in the first half to lead Virginia Tech past Georgia Tech 102-77 in an ACC game played at Cassell Coliseum on Sunday afternoon.

The Hokies (16-7, 6-4 ACC) now have won 12 of their past 15 games and are alone in fourth place in the ACC. They avenged a 72-57 loss to Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Jan. 25 – a game in which Delaney scored eight points and turned the ball over eight times.

“I worked hard and I played smarter, and I hit shots,” Delaney said, explaining the difference between the two games. “I did what I normally do. In Atlanta, I just didn’t make shots.

“Honestly, I forgot about that game. After I came home and got in the gym, that game was out of my mind. We lost the game. But I wasn’t thinking about, ‘Oh, we need to play Georgia Tech and we need to beat them’ because of how I played. I was thinking about getting a win. That was my only focus.”

Delaney hit 9 of 14 from the floor for the game, including three 3-pointers, and he connected on 12 of 14 from the free-throw line. He missed his career high in points by just four.

Behind him, Virginia Tech scored the first nine points of the game and never trailed. He hit the game’s opening basket and added a 3-pointer in that run.

Georgia Tech (10-14, 3-8), which has lost five straight, cut the lead to 9-6 on a basket by Iman Shumpert, but the Hokies embarked on a 33-11 run over the next eight minutes to blow open the game. Virginia Tech hit 14 of its first 17 shots from the floor.

Delaney scored 15 of the 33 in that run, including four on free throws after Georgia Tech head coach Paul Hewitt received back-to-back technical fouls from official Roger Ayers with 7:53 remaining and was ejected.

“We got Malcolm in transition more,” Virginia Tech head coach Seth Greenberg said. “We got him room and rhythm. We didn’t change anything offensively [from the game on Jan. 25]. We got him to the [free-throw] line more, too, and that helped.”

Georgia Tech did not get closer than 13 points in the second half. The Hokies, who looked fresh after an eight-day layoff, led by as many as 30 and shot 55.2 percent from the floor (32 of 58). They established a school record for points in an ACC game.

“I’d be lying if I didn’t say I had some anxiety after the eight days off,” Greenberg said. “I wasn’t sure if we could raise our temperature and get ready for the speed of the game. That’s what I pounded into them at our shoot-around.

“But as they have all season, they came out with a great attitude and great focus. It’s also good when you make every shot.”

Virginia Tech’s Jeff Allen had 25 points and 14 rebounds for his fifth straight double-double and 12th of the season (and 40th of his career). Erick Green scored 15 points, while Terrell Bell had 13 for the Hokies.

Shumpert paced Georgia Tech with 27 points, including six 3-pointers. His six 3-pointers tied a career high.

The Hokies continue their home stretch with an ACC game against Maryland on Tuesday night. Tip-off for the game is slated for 8 p.m.

For updates on Virginia Tech men's basketball, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_MBBall).

For updates on the Hokies, follow Jimmy Robertson on Twitter (@jrobIHS).

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