January 29, 2003

Boston College used a 19-2 run midway through the first half to blow the game open as the Eagles flew past Virginia Tech 95-71 in a BIG EAST game held Wednesday night in front of 3,838 fans at Cassell Coliseum.

With the loss, Tech fell to 8-10 overall, 1-4 in the BIG EAST. BC is now 9-8, 2-4 in league play.

Tech played terrible on the defensive end and that turned out to be the difference in the game. BC scored the most points ever by a BIG EAST team at Cassell Coliseum and shot 66.7 percent from the floor - 65.5 percent in the first half and 68 percent in the second.

"They outplayed us in every phase of the game," Tech head coach Ricky Stokes said. "I'm most disappointed in our defense. We're a better defensive team than that. We knew they could score a lot of points, but a lot of their points had to do with our defense."

Troy Bell, the BIG EAST player of the year two years ago, led the Eagles with 27 points on 8-of-13 from the floor. He hit 4-of-7 from beyond the 3-point arc. Craig Smith - maybe the league's best freshman - scored 25, including 19 in the second half. He hit 10-of-12 from the floor.

Tech trailed 11-9 after a basket by Bryant Matthews with 14:10 left in the first half. After that, though, the Eagles went on the 19-2 run, with Tech's lone points coming on a lay-up by Shawn Harris. The Hokies went more than eight minutes with just that one field goal.

Tech never recovered, trailing by as many as 36. A 12-1 run to close the game by four Tech reserves - Markus Sailes, Shawn Harris, Luke Minor and Philip McCandies - and Matthews accounted for the final margin.

"I was pleased with the five guys who finished the game for us," Stokes said. "They played hard and they played with the type of intensity that we wanted. All we can do is go back and find five guys - and maybe it'll be those five guys - as we head to Providence."

Carlos Dixon led the Hokies with 21 points, while Matthews added 14. Tech shot 44.6 percent from the floor and outrebounded BC 30-26.

Tech now hits the road for a critical game at Providence this Saturday. The Hokies beat the Friars earlier this season, but stand a half game back in the East Division standings. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m.