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• Why Miami won

Playing without injured Dwayne Collins, their leading scorer and rebounder, the Hurricanes still managed to enforce their will in the paint and dominate the boards. Miami outrebounded Virginia Tech 46-29 and significantly limited the Hokies from getting extra opportunities at the basket near the end of the game. Miami was also clutch from the free-throw line, making six in a row in the game's final two minutes.

• Why Virginia Tech lost

Malcolm Delaney could never find his touch. Delaney led the ACC in scoring, getting more than 20 points per game, but he notched just seven points on 3-for-15 shooting -- including 0-for-8 from 3-point range. This was the first game Delaney didn't reach double figures against an ACC opponent this season, and the Hokies' offense stagnated as a result.

• Records

Miami 20-12, Virginia Tech 23-8

• Play of the game

With Miami leading 66-65 with 35 seconds remaining, a frenetic scene occurred under the basket after a Virginia Tech missed jumper. The rebound went to Miami's Reggie Johnson, but Virginia Tech's Malcolm Delaney knocked the ball out of his hands and recovered it in a crowd of defenders. Twice Delaney went up for the go-ahead bucket, but twice he lost control of the ball in the mass of bodies. Miami recovered the loose ball and held on the rest of the way.

• The key player

Durand Scott. Miami coach Frank Haith put the game in the hands of Scott, and the freshman point guard rewarded him with nine points in the final three minutes. Scott did most of his damage slicing his way past Virginia Tech defenders for layup opportunities. Scott finished with 17 points and six rebounds.

• What they're saying

"Every shot he missed today, he made against Georgia Tech. He just picked a bad day to not make shots. &ellipses; He had good looks and didn't make them, but I'll take those shots any day." -- Seth Greenberg, Virginia Tech coach, on Malcolm Delaney

• Noting the game

Virginia Tech raced to a 10-point lead in the first eight minutes, but Miami quickly chipped that lead down to just two by halftime.

-- DAVID REYNOLDS, Special to the News & Record

MIAMI (20-12)

FG FT Reb

Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts

Scott 28 6-12 5-5 0-6 2 3 17

Dews 29 4-10 0-2 1-9 1 0 8

Jones 32 6-11 2-4 2-4 1 2 14

Johnson 26 1-4 3-4 5-12 1 4 5

Gamble 15 1-2 0-0 1-5 1 4 2

Grant 25 2-7 4-4 0-2 4 0 9

McGowan 19 3-4 0-0 1-3 0 2 7

Thomas 26 2-4 2-2 0-1 1 2 8

Totals 200 25-54 16-21 12-46 11 17 70

Percentages: FG .463, FT .762. 3-point goals: 4-16, .250 (Thomas 2-4, McGowan 1-1, Grant 1-3, Jones 0-2, Scott 0-3, Dews 0-3). Team rebounds: 4. Blocked shots: 5 (Johnson 3, Jones, McGowan). Turnovers: 18 (Scott 4, Johnson 3, Jones 3, Dews 2, McGowan 2, Grant 2, Thomas, Gamble). Steals: 4 (Dews, Scott, Jones, Johnson).

VIRGINIA TECH (23-8)

FG FT Reb

Min M-A M-A O-T A PF Pts

Allen 30 7-13 4-6 4-11 2 5 18

Bell 30 4-9 0-0 2-4 3 3 12

Hudson 39 5-16 4-6 1-4 0 2 16

Davila 17 0-1 0-1 0-1 1 1 0

Delaney 40 3-15 1-3 1-3 5 3 7

Green 4 0-1 0-0 0-1 0 0 0

Witcher 6 1-1 0-0 1-2 0 2 2

Atkins 7 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0

Thompson 27 4-7 2-2 0-3 1 2 10

Totals 200 24-63 11-18 9-29 12 18 65

Percentages: FG .381, FT .611. 3-point goals: 6-24, .250 (Bell 4-9, Hudson 2-6, Green 0-1, Delaney 0-8). Team rebounds: 0. Blocked shots: 1 (Allen). Turnovers: 8 (Delaney 3, Hudson 2, Atkins, Green, Allen). Steals: 13 (Delaney 4, Allen 3, Bell 2, Davila 2, Thompson, Hudson).

Miami 35 35 -- 70

Virginia Tech 37 28 -- 65

A--23,381. Officials--Roger Ayers, Bryan Kersey, Raymond Styons.