February 2, 2005

Virginia Tech-Miami box score

Virginia Tech 73, Miami 63

 

MIAMI - Virginia Tech rebounded from a 35-point loss to Duke by using some hot shooting in the latter stages of the second half to down the Miami Hurricanes 73-63 in an ACC game played at the Convocation Center on Wednesday night in Miami.

With the win, the Hokies improved to 12-7 overall and 5-3 in the ACC. In addition to notching their second ACC road win of the season, the Hokies also snapped a six-game losing streak to Miami. Miami fell to 13-7 overall, 4-5 in the league.

Tech found itself down 45-39 with 11:59 left in the game after a basket by Miami's Raymond Hicks - the Hokies' largest deficit of the game. But from that point on, the Hokies dominated the game.

Tech went on a 14-5 run and grabbed the lead, 53-50, on a 3-pointer by Jamon Gordon with 7:06 to go. The Hokies kept pouring it on, eventually taking a seven-point lead on two free throws by Zabian Dowdell with 4:24 left. Miami cut the lead to three points twice in the final two minutes, but got no closer.

From the time they went down six, the Hokies started getting hot from the field. Tech made 13 of its final 16 shots from the floor and scored on 15 of its final 18 possessions of the game. Tech outscored Miami 34-18 in that span, shooting 60.7 percent in the second half.

Dowdell, who grew up in Pahokee, Fla., played in front of more than 50 family members and friends, and put on a show, scoring a career-high 23 points on 8-of-14 from the floor. He made 5-of-10 from beyond the 3-point arc.

Dowdell paced four Tech players in double figures. Carlos Dixon added 17, while Deron Washington scored 14 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out a career-high four assists. Jamon Gordon finished with 11 points.

Robert Hite led Miami with 17 points, while Guillermo Diaz finished with 15 points.

The Hokies return home for their next game and get set to take on Wake Forest, who rolls into town this Saturday. Tip-off at Cassell Coliseum is slated for 3 p.m.