February 8, 2003

JAMAICA, N.Y. - The Big Apple may have rocked a little more this past Saturday night than on most.

That's because the Virginia Tech Hokies notched their first road victory of the season and their first since knocking off West Virginia last season, whipping St. John's 71-54 in a BIG EAST Conference game in front of 6,008 fans at Alumni Hall.

With the win, Tech improved to 10-11 overall and 3-5 in the BIG EAST. The Hokies also climbed out of the East Division cellar, pending the outcome of the Miami-Villanova game later Saturday night.

More importantly, coming off a huge win over nationally ranked UConn, Tech snapped an eight-game road losing streak dating back to that WVU game. Tech had been 0-6 on the road this season (excluding neutral site games). The win marked just Tech's second BIG EAST road win.

"I give this team and this staff a lot of credit," Tech head coach Ricky Stokes. "They came up here prepared to win and had confidence. When we played in Blacksburg [a 62-59 St. John's win], we didn't play well, but we still had a shot to win. This time, we were able to pull out a win over a good St. John's team."

Tech, just as it did against UConn, used an array of 2-3 and 1-3-1 zone defenses to baffle St. John's, and as a result, the Red Storm shot just 31.7 percent from the floor. St. John's shot just 29 percent in the first half as the Hokies jumped out to a nine-point halftime lead.

Tech led by as many as 13 in the second half before St. John's made a run. The Red Storm gradually cut the lead to three, 49-46, on a 3-pointer by Marcus Hatten with eight minutes left. But they got no closer.

Tech put the game away by scoring on its final 11 possessions of the game. The Hokies made 12 of 14 free-throw attempts in the final 4:53 to seal it.

"One of our biggest criticisms was that we couldn't put games away," said Tech's Bryant Matthews, who led the Hokies with 22 points and nine boards. "We have composure now and we have an understanding. We know what it takes to get a lead and we know what it takes to come from behind. All we have to do now is continue our winning ways."

Tech shot 46 percent from the floor and outrebounded St. John's 38-37. Carlos Dixon added 14 points, and though he only made 5-of-18 from the floor, he finished with five assists, two blocks and a steal. Terry Taylor scored 13 points and Dimari Thompkins tallied 11.

St. John's got a game-high 27 points from Hatten, who didn't start after arriving late for practice Friday. Hatten, who is averaging nearly 23 points per game, made 10 baskets, while the rest of the team combined for just 10. Elijah Ingram, the freshman point guard who hurt the Hokies in the first meeting, made just 2-of-9 from the floor and scored just six points.

The Hokies put themselves to the test on the road again this Tuesday night when they travel to Miami for a critical BIG EAST game. The winner of that one would appear to have a great shot at making the BIG EAST tournament. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.