November 28, 2005

Box Score

Ohio State 69, Hokies 56

 

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Junior forward Coleman Collins scored 14 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for his second consecutive double-double, but it was not enough as Ohio State downed Virginia Tech 69-56 Monday in the first game of the Atlantic Coast Conference-Big Ten Challenge at Value City Arena.

The Buckeyes improve to 3-0 on the season, while the Hokies drop to 5-2.

Tech trailed by 21 points at halftime, but a stirring second-half rally brought the visitors to as close as three with 3:18 remaining. Collins' short jumper in the lane cut the Buckeyes' lead to 57-54 late in the second half. Collins scored eight second-half points for the Hokies.

However, that was as close as it got. Ohio State went on a 10-0 run over the final two minutes - which included seven points from Ron Lewis - to close out the game.

After trailing 46-25 at the half, Tech's defense clamped down in the final 20 minutes. The Hokies held the Buckeyes to 29 percent shooting in the second half and forced 11 turnovers.

Junior Zabian Dowdell scored 13 of his game-high 15 points in the second half. Dowdell hit all five free throws he attempted and also knocked down 2-of-4 three-pointers.

The Hokies held Ohio State without a field goal for two separate three-minute stretches in the half as they cut into the lead. After a Terrance Dials dunk gave the Buckeyes a 10-point lead at 7:02, Tech scored the next seven points.

The Buckeyes scored on the next possession to bring the lead back to five, but Jamon Gordon's jumper in the paint cut the deficit to three again at 2:40. Gordon finished the game with seven points, three assists and two steals.

Sophomore Deron Washington chipped in nine points and four rebounds for Tech.

Both teams shot under 65 percent at the foul line.

The loss snaps Tech's four-game winning streak.

The Hokies will travel to No. 1 Duke on Sunday, for their first ACC game of the season at 8 p.m.