Hokies trail at halftime
Posted Mar16, 2007 at 07:58 PM
Mark Berman here from Columbus, Ohio, where the Virginia Tech men's basketball team has been lousy in the first half and trails 29-21 at halftime to 12th-seeded Illinois in the NCAA tournament.
Tech is getting the job done on the defensive end, forcing turnovers and keeping the Illini from getting second-chance points. Illinois has eight turnovers and just one offensive rebound. Tech even got Illini center Shaun Pruitt in foul trouble.
But Tech couldn't do anything on the other end. Tech is shooting 29.2 percent from the field to Illinois' 48 percent. Tech isn't getting any second shots. Tech has just two offensive rebounds.
Tech is also not getting the fast break going, despite getting stops and defensive rebounds. I think one basket off the fast break.
Zabian Dowdell didn't shoot enough. He is 3-of-6 from the field but went long spells without shooting.
AD Vassallo is just 1-of-5 from the field, as is Deron Washington. Jamon Gordon is shooting from too far out and is 1-of-3. Coleman Collins is 1-of-3, missing a breakaway dunk after stealing the ball in the final minute of the half.
Markus Sailes missed the front end of a one-and-one with 8.8 seconds left, no big surprise there.
With Tech down 25-19, Seth Greenberg calls a timeout. And what's the best Tech can do after the timeout? Cheick Diakite shooting from too far outside. Then Illinois forward Warren Carter, being guarded by Lewis Witcher, nails a 3-pointer and foul shot for a four-point play and a 29-19 lead with 1:21 left in the half.
Tech trails on the boards 18-14.
Not looking good for Tech - looks like one-and-done if they can't get the offense going.
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