Ticket Market Place
Sports Radio Network | 
Travel Center & Info
| 1 | 2 | F | |
|---|---|---|---|
 Maryland (13-9, 5-4) | 43 | 37 | 80 |
 Virginia Tech (8-13, 1-8) | 35 | 25 | 60 |
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BLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech guard Ben Emelogu scored 21 points, but it wasn’t enough, as the Hokies fell 80-60 to Maryland in an ACC game at Cassell Coliseum on Saturday.
With the loss, the Hokies fell to 8-13 overall, 1-8 in the ACC. Maryland, which beat the Hokies for the fourth straight time, moved to 13-9, 5-4.
The Terrapins got 19 points from Dez Wells, who made 6 of 9 from the floor, and as a team, Maryland shot 51.8 percent (29 of 56) in winning its second in a row.
The Hokies stayed with the Terrapins until the final minute of the first half. The Hokies trailed 37-35 after Will Johnston hit a 3-pointer with 1:31 left in the half. But Maryland got 3-pointers on its final two possessions – one each from Seth Allen and Jake Layman – to take a 43-35 lead at halftime.
Emelogu opened the second half with a 3-pointer for the Hokies to cut the Maryland lead to 43-38. But the Terrapins answered with a 14-2 run to grab a 17-point lead and take control.
The Terrapins went on to lead by as many as 23, and the Hokies never got closer than 14 the rest of the game.
Emelogu made 7 of 12 from the floor, including 3 of 6 from beyond the 3-point arc. But the Hokies shot just 37 percent (20 of 54). They played without injured starters Adam Smith and forward C.J. Barksdale.
“We’re competing, but we’re not competing for 40 minutes,” Virginia Tech coach James Johnson said. “I’m not sure we have the gas in our tank to compete for 40 minutes. It’s tough and frustrating for me to look down at the bench and see three potential starters [Smith, Barksdale and freshman Malik Mueller, who was ruled ineligible by the NCAA before the season] in suits looking like me. But it is what it is. That’s what we have now. We’ll keep fighting.”
Allen added 16 points for the Terrapins, and Layman and Nick Faust had 10 each.
The Hokies continue conference action next Wednesday night at Florida State. Tipoff is slated for 9 p.m.
For updates on Virginia Tech men's basketball, follow the Hokies on Twitter Follow @VT_MBBall
For updates on the Hokies, follow Jimmy Robertson on Twitter Follow @jrobIHS
