Blacksburg, VA - Virginia Tech outrebounded an opponent for the first time this season and used a big 20-3 first-half run to take control and beat James Madison 77-53 Saturday night in Cassell Coliseum. The Hokies were led in scoring by Carlos Dixon with 19 points, and freshman Deron Washington pulled down 10 rebounds to lead the effort on the boards.

Halfway through the first half, the Hokies were up 17-14, and VT went on a 20-3 run over the next 7 minutes to blow the game open and take a 37-17 lead. The Hokies went into half time up 42-24 and never relinquished that lead. JMU was able to trim the lead to 12 at one point in the second half, but this one was never in doubt.

Led by Washington's 10 boards -- the first time a VT player has been in double-figure rebounds this year -- the Hokies outrebounded JMU 39-31. It was the first time this season VT has won the battle of the boards. The Hokies tied Maryland Eastern Short (36-36) and VMI (41-41) earlier in the season.

Dixon shot 7-of-11, including 3-of-3 on three-pointers. The Hokies shot 42.9% (27-of-63) as a team, breaking a string of three straight games under 40%. Multi-talented guard Jamon Gordon was out with an elbow injury, giving freshman guard Marquie Cooke the start. Cooke responded with 12 points on 5-of-12 shooting and a team-high 6 assists.

The Hokies are 5-2 on the season, and JMU falls to 2-3. Virginia Tech will take this week off and will play their first-ever ACC conference game next Sunday, December 19th, when they clash with UNC in Blacksburg. Gordon is expected back, as is Coleman Collins, who underwent surgery Sunday to have a cyst removed from his foot.

JAMES MADISON (53)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
C Johnson           38  8-14   1-1   3-9   1   3   17
G Chami             30   1-4   5-6   0-1   1   4    7
J Belfor            28   2-6   3-4   0-4   0   5    7
J Naparlo           17   0-1   0-2   1-4   3   2    0
R Barbosa           39  4-12   3-4   0-0   2   1   14
D Cooper            12   2-4   2-5   2-5   6   2    6
E Greene-Long        6   0-1   0-0   0-0   0   1    0
J McGraw             2   0-0   0-0   0-0   0   0    0
C Clarke            11   0-1   0-0   0-1   0   5    0
J Goodman            5   0-0   0-0   0-0   1   0    0
C Cathlin           12   1-1   0-0   0-1   0   1    2
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             200 18-44 14-22  6-25  14  24   53
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.409, FT-.636.

3-Point Goals: 3-10, .300 (C Johnson 0-1, J Belfor 0-1, R 
Barbosa 3-7, C Clarke 0-1).

Team Rebounds: 6.

Blocked Shots: 5 (C Johnson 2, G Chami 2, E Greene-Long).

Turnovers: 22 (J Naparlo 4, R Barbosa 4, J Belfor 4, C Johnson 4,
G Chami 2, C Cathlin, E Greene-Long, C Clarke, J Goodman).

Steals: 5 (J Belfor 4, E Greene-Long).

VIRGINIA TECH (77)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
D Washington        24   2-6   2-5  6-10   1   1    6
C Dixon             30  7-11   2-2   2-4   2   4   19
R Krabbendam        15   0-2   0-0   1-4   0   2    0
Z Dowdell           22  5-12   1-1   1-2   3   3   12
M Cooke             31  5-12   1-4   1-2   6   1   12
B Ritchie            1   0-0   0-0   0-0   0   0    0
S Harris            10   0-3   2-2   0-1   0   2    2
W Witherspoon       15   3-6   0-2   1-4   0   0    9
A Calloway          12   2-4   1-2   1-2   1   5    5
M Sailes            10   0-0   1-2   0-1   1   0    1
C Collins           20   3-6   4-6   2-5   1   2   10
C Tucker            10   0-1   1-2   1-1   1   1    1
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             200 27-63 15-28 16-36  16  21   77
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.429, FT-.536.

3-Point Goals: 8-21, .381 (D Washington 0-1, C Dixon 3-3,
R Krabbendam 0-1, Z Dowdell 1-5, M Cooke 1-3, S Harris 0-2,
W Witherspoon 3-5, C Tucker 0-1).

Team Rebounds: 3.

Blocked Shots: 5 (C Collins 2, A Calloway, D Washington, R Krabbendam).

Turnovers: 11 (M Cooke 4, C Dixon 2, S Harris 2, D Washington 2,
R Krabbendam).

Steals: 7 (C Dixon 3, A Calloway, M Sailes, C Collins, W Witherspoon).


-----------------------------------
JAMES MADISON        24  29   -  53
VIRGINIA TECH        42  35   -  77
----------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: Virginia Tech 1 (C Dixon). A: 9,847.

Officials: Jamie Luckie, Larry Rose, Roger Ayers.

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