Hurricanes Fall To Hokies, 73-63
Feb. 2, 2005
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) – Zabian Dowdell scored a game-high 23 points andVirginia Tech beat fellow Atlantic Coast Conference newcomer Miami 73-63Wednesday night.
It was the fifth win in the past six games for Virginia Tech (12-7, 5-3),who had won five straight before Sunday’s 100-65 loss at No. 4 Duke.
Meanwhile, Miami (13-7, 4-5) has gone in the other direction, losing for thefourth time in the past five games to fall below .500 in the ACC for the firsttime. Robert Hite led the Hurricanes with 17 points.
Both teams struggled to find any consistency, but it was Virginia Tech’s3-point shooting that proved to be the difference. The Hokies connected on9-of-22 attempts from behind the arc, including 5-of-10 from Dowdell.
Virginia Tech hit five 3-pointers in the second half, including four duringa crucial 5:23 stretch. The Hokies went from down six to leading by sevenduring that span, with Dowdell’s fourth 3-pointer giving them a 59-52 lead with5:11 remaining.
Miami pulled to within 63-60 on a Guillermo Diaz layup with 2:42 left, but aturnover led to Carlos Dixon’s layup and a 65-60 Virginia Tech lead with 1:53to go. A driving layup by Diaz made it 65-62 at 1:34, but Virginia Tech got twomore easy baskets, including a layup by Jamon Gordon off a Will Frisby turnoverto push the lead to 69-62 with 0:59 left.
Miami missed all four of its field goals in the final minute.
The Hurricanes finished with 15 turnovers to just 9 assists, and connectedon only 4-of-15 shooting from 3-point range.
