February 15, 2001

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (2-14-01) -- Virginia Tech used a 19-0 run late in the first half to blow open a tight game and crush West Virginia 92-53 here Wednesday night. The win was Tech's second straight and sixth in its' last seven games while the Mountaineers dropped their tenth consecutive game.

Virginia Tech (17-6, 8-4) broke open a 21-20 game with a 19-0 run over a 4:22 span to lead 40-20 with 3:07 remaining in the half. The Hokies set season-highs for points (92), points in a half (48, 2nd half) and field goal percentage (60.7%, 34-56).

Tech placed five players in double figures for the first time this season led by Chrystal Starling's 23 points. Sarah Hicks added 18 points followed by Tere Williams with 16 points, Christina Strother 15, and Ieva Kublina with 11 points. Kublina, making her first collegiate start in place of Nicole Jones who had an emergency appendectomy Tuesday afternoon in Christiansburg, Va., pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds to register the first double-double of her career and also had a career-high four blocks. Lisa Guarneri was credited with a career-high ten assists.

West Virginia (4-19, 2-10) shot only 29.2 percent (19-65) and was led by Darya Kudryavtseva with 15 points and Kate Bulger with 14.

Virginia Tech returns to action Sunday at 2 p.m. when the Hokies host Boston College.