Game Blog: Hokies beat Miami, 65-47
Jeff Allen
Mar 12, 2009
Tags: ACC
Update 1:55pm - Hokies win 65-47:
Virginia Tech will play North Carolina Friday afternoon at 12pm. If Ty Lawson suits up, I don't like VT's chances, but without him the Hokies could make it interesting.
The game will be an elimination game for Virginia Tech in my opinion, in terms of NCAA consideration.
Update 1:46pm - VT taking the air out of the ball:
The Hokies can probably make plans to be at the stadium for a noon game tomorrow, while Canes fans should probably make sure they're plane flight home is on time.
Virginia Tech is taking the air out of the ball now, as they should - the Hokies are up by 19 with less than four minutes to go.
Miami now has no chance of making it to the NCAA Tournament, a very surprising ending to a season that many thought would see the Hurricanes finish in the ACC's top five.
VT on the other hand, can probably lock up an NCAA berth if it were able to knock off the Heels.
Update 1:41pm - Hudson doing a nice job on McClinton:
Dorenzo Hudson has had a far greater impact on this game than his seven points would indicate - he's been the one guarding Jack McClinton most of the contest, and he's held the two-time All-ACC 1st team guard to 4-11 shooting from the field and nine points.
As McClinton goes, so goes Miami, and so far Hudson hasn't let him go anywhere.
Update 1:37pm - Too many quick shots for Miami:
J.T. Thompson just sent home a monster dunk which has caused Frank Haith to want to talk things over with his team.
It's 57-37 Hokies, and it's getting late early for the Canes.
Miami still has as many turnovers as field goals (14).
Update 1:36pm - Miami needs to find scoring:
The Canes have nobody in double figures yet this game, while VT has two players over the ten point mark.
McClinton needs to find his game, and fast, or it'll be VT vs. UNC tomorrow at high noon.
Update 1:32pm - Hokies extend lead to 14:
Lance Hurdle hit a three, but Thompson answered with a pull-up junper in the lane and a putback dunk.
Jeff Allen now has three fouls for the Hokies, as VT all of a sudden finds itself in a bit of foul trouble.
Adrian Thomas and Brian Asbury have three each for Miami.
Two Delaney free throws and a Dorenzo Hudson offensive rebound and putback have made it a 51-37 game for VT.
Update 1:30pm - J.T. Thompson picks up third for VT:
That's two players with three fouls for the Hokies - Dwayne Collins hit both free throws and it's a nine-point game, 43-34 Hokies.
Update 1:26pm - VT already in the bonus but Vassallo picks up third foul:
The Hokies will be shooting free throws for the rest of the game, and there is still more than 12 minutes left - not good if you're a Miami fan.
In a bit of good news for the Canes, A.D. Vassallo just picked up his third foul on a charge - he has been the Hokies' best player (12 points, five rebounds), but will probably have to take a seat for a bit.
Hokies are up 43-32 at the under 12 timeout.
Update 1:21pm - Why do people foul three-point shooters?:
You see this all the time when Jon Scheyer gets hit beyond the line, but I've never understood it. Adrian Thomas, arguably Miami's best player today (nine points, two rebounds), just picked up his third foul and will have to sit on the bench.
Delaney just hit two of three free throws and the Hokies lead by ten, 42-32.
Someone just shouted over the PA system and everyone is looking at each other wondering what just happened.
Update 1:19pm - Allen update:
Jeff Allen's trip to the locker room was because of blood on his jersey - he has changed now to number 13 from number zero, and he has returned - good news for Hokies fans.
McClinton just hit another crazy off-balance shot, but it hasn't been enough to dig in to the VT lead.
Update 1:16pm - Vassallo carrying Hokies, Miami still struggling from the field:
A.D. has 12 points on the day, that leads the game, and VT has a 38-30 lead with 15:47 left in the game.
Still no sign of Jeff Allen for the Hokies.
Miami isn't doing much in the half-court and is still only shooting 34% from the field for the game.
Malcolm Delaney is quietly having a solid game for Seth Greenberg's team, with seven points and five assists.
Update 1:12pm - McClinton tries heat check, Allen heads to locker room:
Jack McClinton just shot a three in transition to no avail - that's a good shot if it goes, a terrible one if it doesn't.
The Hokies are up 36-28, but Jeff Allen just jogged past us to the locker room - that would be a big loss for the Hokies in the post.
Update 1:11pm - Vassallo read my blog:
A.D. has five quick points in the second half to help the Hokies push the lead back to 35-26.
11 more to the record.
Update 1:02pm - Vassallo chasing history:
OK, so it's not exactly Hansbrough becoming the first four-time All-American, but it's something.
The Virginia Tech G/F needs 16 points in the second half to become the ACC's all-time leading scorer for a player whose last name starts with "V," a mark now held by Duke's Bob Verga at 1,758 points.
Yes, you have to try hard to keep yourself interested during some of these games.
He's already tied the school record for made three-pointers with his 257th make today - he now sits atop the V T list with Wally Lancaster.
Update 12:51pm - Delaney bails out Miami, gets hit with second foul - Hokies lead by four at half:
Malcolm Delaney just had a brain freeze, picking up his second foul with three seconds left in the first half - the Canes missed the front end of the one-and-one, but why bail out the other team at the end of the half and pick up your second in the process?
An A.D. Vassallo running three at the buzzer went begging, so we head to halftime with Virginia Tech leading 28-24.
Nice job by Miami weathering the storm and not letting this one get away. The Canes shooting to start the game wa pitiful, but they managed to stay in it until their stroke started to come around. Now, all of a sudden, you become that team that had to feel good about only being down four at half.
Update 12:44pm - Canes heating up from long range:
Thomas just hit his second three, while McClinton just drained one with a hand in his face. If McClinton gets hot, there's pretty much nothing you can do about it, so that shot has to concern Hokies fans.
Thomas adds another three and VT calls timeout - the 9-0 run has pulled Miami within 28-24.
Thomas leads the Canes with seven points, while Jeff Allen is the high scorer in the game with eight.
Update 12:40pm - Miami breaks the ice, hits first three:
Adrian Thomas finally hit Miami's first three, and, coupled with a couple of free throws the Canes earned for getting into the bonus, they've put together a 5-0 run to cut VT's lead to 22-13.
Jeff Allen just nailed a nice jump hook to extend the lead back to 11, but McClinton's first points of the afternoon, off of a drive past Jeff Allen, has the Canes within 24-15.
We'll see if McClinton's taking advantage of being guarded by the big man out on the perimeter there gets him going - the Canes fans are hoping so.
Update 12:33pm - Miami ice cold:
The Canes are 0-7 from three point land and 4-19 overall - ouch. The Canes' shot selection has been terrible, but even when they've had open looks they haven't knocked anything down.
Jack McClinton has only put up three shots and missed all of them - he might be distracted by the Miami dance team, which I honeslty wouldn't blame him for.
The Hokies meanwhile have built a nice lead, 22-8, at the under eight timeout.
Update 12:28 - McGowan gives Miami lead over Delaney:
Malcolm Delaney had just hit two free throws to take the lead over Miami himself, 7-6, but a Cyrus McGowan layin changed all that.
Still, it's been that kind of day for VT. They still have more TO's than field goals.
20-8 Hokies.
Update 12:24pm - DeQuan Jones will be a player one day for Miami:
His body is college ready already as a freshman and his athleticism is ridiculous - he just needs to learn the game better and get a little more mature. For those that don't remember, Jones was the one with the absurd reverse slam along the baseline against North Carolina, and the guy that got ejected at Duke for elbowing Greg Paulus in the throat.
His nice spin move in the lane here just gave the Canes their fifth and sixth points of the afternoon.
16-6 Hokies.
Update 12:21pm: VT taking it to Miami:
Malcolm Delaney just hit VT's third three of the day, while the Canes can't even execute a good offensive possession.
It's 12-4 Hokies only because Cyrus McGowan just turned another bad Miami shot into a putback dunk.
Virginia Tech is shooting over 60% from the field, while Miami has more turnovers (4) than field goals (3).
Update 12:16pm - McClinton off to slow start:
The guy that will have to win this game for Miami has been silent so far, 0-2 from the field with a couple of rushed, off-balance shots.
It's 8-2 Tech at the first TV timeout.
Sloppy basketball so far with both teams committing a pair of turnovers. Jeff Allen dribbled the ball off of his leg on a breakaway otherwise VT would be up eight.
Update 12:14pm - Quick start for VT:
The traditionally slow-starting Hokies have hit their first two three-point attempts, with A.D. Vassallo and Dorenzo Hudson hitting treys.
6-0 VT
Update 12:10pm - Roy will be happy:
The head coach for the Tar Heels hates logos on the court, which means he'll be happy with the folks at the Georgia Dome - they went old school and stuck with the blank circle in the middle.
Update 12:08pm - game prediction:
Our intrepid web writer, Jake Lloyd has this one going to Miami 76-71 - you can take it to the bank. Scott Jackson is going with the Hokies, 69-65.
I'm pulling a Kirk Herbstreit and withholding a prediction since I'm blogging the game.
Update 12:00pm - First A-list celebrity spotted:
DeAngelo Hall is in the house taking in the game in the VT section. Clearly he can afford the seats given his new contract with the Redskins, somewhere around the neighborhood of 40 million.
He's sitting next to Frank Beamer, the head coach of the VT football team, and Hall's former coach.
Hey from Atlanta - Miami vs. Virgina Tech is about to start in a few minutes, but first a quick note on one of the game's stars, Jack McClinton.
The Hurricanes' sharpshooter is the recipient of the 2009 Skip Prosser Award, which is given to the conference's top scholar-athlete every year.
Anyone who has seen McClinton play knows he fulfills the athlete part of the equation, as he's probably the best shooter in the ACC when he's on - it's good to see he's getting it done in the classroom too.
As for the game, there appears to be maybe two thousand fans on hand, about 1950 more than there were all day yesterday for the team practices.
We'll have updates from this game and every other today on the website, so be sure to keep refreshing your page to find out the latest from the 2009 ACC Tournament.
