BLACKSBURG, VA. - Malcolm Delaney led four Virginia Tech
double-figure scorers with 20 points and the 21st-ranked Hokies
defeated Campbell 70-60 Friday night at Cassell Coliseum.
Playing a nationally-ranked team for the first time since Dec.
2004, the Camels were out-rebounded 41-24 and surrendered 20
second-chance points.
A first-team All-ACC performer a year ago, Delaney made 11-of-11
from the line and 3-of-8 from long distance to lead Virginia Tech
(1-0), which shot 42 percent from the floor. Terrell Bell added 17
points and eight rebounds, while Jeff Allen added 11 points and 14
boards. Dorenzo Hudson chipped in 10 points.
Junard Hartley led the Camels (0-1) with 14 points, plus three
assists. Junior transfer Eric Griffin scored 13 and grabbed nine
rebounds in his debut for Campbell, which shot 41 percent from the
field.
Campbell had only five turnovers in the second half, 17 for the
game, while the Hokies committed 19 miscues on the night in front
of an announced crowd of 9806, just 41 shy of capacity.
After Lorne Merthie's three from the key brought Campbell within
24-22 with 5:13 left in the opening period, the Hokies closed the
half on a 17-4 run to take a 41-26 lead at the break.
Campbell made just one field goal in the final 5:00 of the opening
period, while Virginia Tech converted 12 first half Camel turnovers
into 13 points.
Delaney and Bell led Virginia Tech with 11 first-half points, while
Merthie hit a pair of threes in the opening stanza to lead the
Camels with six points. However, the pre-season Atlantic Sun
all-conference guard did not return after suffering an injury with
3:00 to play in the first period.
Campbell outscored the Hokies 14-6 to start the second period and
cut the gap to 47-40 on Andrew Ryan's three with 13:31 to play.
Griffin's finger roll in the lane cut the gap to 52-45 with 11:15
remaining, but the Camels went the next 8:05 without scoring and
Tech rebuilt the advantage to as many as 18.
The Camels and Virginia Tech engaged in a tight battle for the
second-straight year. Last season, the Hokies claimed a 71-60
victory in front of a sellout crowd of 3205 in Buies Creek at Gore
Arena.
The Camels return to action Monday in a 7:00 p.m. tip-off at East
Carolina.
