Virginia Tech 69, Clemson 61
BLACKSBURG, Va. -- Erick Green scored 29 points in his final game at Cassell Coliseum, leading Virginia Tech to a 69-61 win over Clemson on Saturday night.
After enduring a nine-game losing streak, Virginia Tech (13-16, 4-12 Atlantic Coast Conference) has won two of its last three games. The Tigers (13-15, 5-11) have lost four straight and seven of their last eight.
Green, who leads the nation in scoring, scored 17 points in the first half as the Hokies built an 11-point halftime lead, their largest at the break since the season's third game against VMI. C.J. Barksdale added 14 points and eight rebounds for the Hokies.
Devin Booker scored 17 points to lead the Tigers. Milton Jennings and Adonis Filer added 13 each.
Clemson's deficit grew to 15 points early in the second half before the Tigers found an offensive rhythm and got back into the game. Clemson, which owns the ACC's worst scoring offense, scored on seven straight possessions midway through the second half and pulled to 50-48 after Jennings' basket with 10:05 left.
Jarell Eddie capped a quick 5-0 Virginia Tech run with a free throw with 8:22 left. After the Tigers got within 57-53 on a Jennings 3-pointer with 6:50 left, the teams traded turnovers and bad offensive possessions for the next three minutes before Green got loose on the right wing and nailed a 3-pointer to push the lead to 60-53 with 3:39 left.
Clemson wouldn't go away, though. Rod Hall sank a basket and Filer stripped Robert Brown and scored a transition dunk to cut the lead to 60-57 with 2:43 left.
The Tigers had a chance to tie in the final minute after forcing a turnover with its full-court press. Clemson missed a 3-pointer and Filer missed two free throws. Barksdale grabbed the rebound and hit two free throws after being fouled, then hit two more after Clemson missed its next shot, putting the game away.
Six minutes into the game, the teams were deadlocked at 9-9 before Clemson went on a mini-run to take an early edge. A Booker three-point play gave the Tigers a 15-11 edge with 12:30 left.
The Hokies responded with an 11-2 run capped by Barksdale's steal and layup to take a 21-17 lead with 9:56 left. Virginia Tech extended the edge toward the end of the half, taking a 10-point lead on Brown's floater with 1:20 left.
Brown gave Tech its biggest lead in the half's closing seconds, knocking down a 3-pointer in the left corner after Barksdale rebounded a Marshall Wood miss.
Green got on an early roll, scoring 17 first-half points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field. The Hokies shot 62.5 percent in the first half and outrebounded the Tigers 16-9.
NOTES: Clemson's K.J. McDaniels, who injured an ankle in the shootaround before Thursday's game against North Carolina, missed his second straight game Saturday. ... Clemson faced Virginia Tech on the Hokies' senior night for the third time since Tech joined the ACC. Clemson won the two previous meetings. ... Brown returned to Virginia Tech's starting lineup after coming off the bench the last three games.
