Virginia Tech 74, UNC 70

By Hank Kurz Jr.

Associated Press

BLACKSBURG, Va. — Five consecutive losses against North Carolina, including two in the final seconds, left Virginia Tech not caring which Tar Heels team it had beaten."The name on the jersey is big," Hokies forward Terrell Bell said Thursday night after grabbing 11 rebounds in the Hokies' 74-70 victory against the reeling defending national champions. "Everybody knows Carolina, so to beat Carolina, it always feels good."

Malcolm Delaney scored 21 points, including two key free throws with 36.6 seconds left, and Virginia Tech extended North Carolina's worst tailspin since a five-game skid in 2002-03.

The Hokies (17-4, 4-3 ACC) came into the game seeing it as a must-win after feeling like they gave one away in a weekend loss at Miami and made it happen even after the Tar Heels went on a big run to take a first-half lead and quiet the sellout crowd.

"Today we stuck with it," Delaney said. "They went on a run, and we just rebounded right back from it. We didn't let it affect us. That's what's good about this team."

Delaney's free throws doubled Virginia Tech's lead to 71-67, and the only basket the Tar Heels could manage thereafter came at the buzzer, sealing their fifth loss in six games.

North Carolina fell to 13-9 overall and 2-5 in the league. Even though guard Marcus Ginyard said the team gave a better effort as coach Roy Williams had asked, it still fell short.

"It was definitely a lot better than it has been in the past," said Ginyard, who did not start for only the second time in the 18 games he's played. "Can it be better? Yeah."

Despite 19 turnovers, the Tar Heels appeared to have pulled within one when Will Graves' 3-point try with just under 20 seconds left went halfway down and then rolled out. Jeff Allen rebounded for Virginia Tech, was fouled and made one free throw to push the margin to five.

Larry Drew's shot at the other end banked off the side of the backboard, the Hokies again rebounding and avenging a 78-64 loss to the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill on Jan. 10.

The Hokies had also lost three straight regular-season meetings, and two in the ACC Tournament, with two losses of the heartbreaking variety in the final seconds.

Dorenzo Hudson added 17 points and Allen had 14 for Virginia Tech on Thursday.

The Tar Heels were led by Ed Davis' 15 points. John Henson had 14, and fellow freshman David Wear added 12.

Virginia Tech was outshot 43 percent to 39 percent, outrebounded 40-36 and its bench was outscored 33-10, but coach Seth Greenberg zeroed in on his team's total of 10 turnovers on the stat sheet.

"That's how we win," he said.

Neither team led by more than four in the second half until Delaney hit back-to-back 3-pointers, sparking a 13-5 run that gave Virginia Tech a 61-52 advantage. Delaney also was called for his fourth personal foul after his second 3 and went to the bench with 12 minutes left.

It hardly mattered as the Tar Heels never got closer than three again. Delaney came back into the game with seven minutes left and made the two free throws to seal it.

The Tar Heels scored the last six points of the first half to lead 35-33 at the break.

Virginia Tech came out red hot, taking quick shots and seemingly intent on burying the Tar Heels quickly. The Hokies led 18-6 after 61/2 minutes, then went cold. North Carolina took full advantage, outscoring Virginia Tech 21-8 over the next eight minutes to go ahead 27-26.

Wear had six points in the run, and Henson and Deon Thompson four apiece.

The half left several key players on both teams in foul trouble, with Allen, Delaney and Hudson among five Hokies with two fouls and Davis and Thompson among three Tar Heels. Delaney and Davis both played extensively after drawing their second personals.

One of the largest cheers of the night came during a timeout with 15:58 remaining in the game, when Hokies football coach Frank Beamer accepted the Chick-fil-A Bowl trophy from game president Gary Stokan at midcourt.

The Hokies beat Tennessee 37-14 in the game on Dec. 31.