Final
Virginia Tech faces Southern Illinois; Shaw questionable
Mar 18, 2007 - 2:37 PM No. 5 Virginia Tech (22-11) at No. 4 Southern Illinois (28-6) 2:40 pm EDTCOLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) - It wasn't easy for Deron Washington and Virginia Tech in the first round. Now, they may have caught a break against undermanned Southern Illinois.
The fifth-seeded Hokies will look to capitalize on the momentum of their late-game run in the first round when they take on No. 4 Southern Illinois in a second-round matchup on Sunday.
The winning squad will face the winner of powerhouse programs, eighth-seeded Kentucky and No. 1 Kansas, in the regional semifinals.
After a promising season, Virginia Tech earned its highest seed in school history and its first berth to the tournament since 1996. The Hokies finished third in the Atlantic Coast Conference, twice defeating the East Region's No. 1 seed, North Carolina.
But for most of its first-round matchup, Virginia Tech trailed and needed a remarkable late-game rally. It outscored Illinois, 12-0, in the final 4 1/2 minutes to secure a 54-52 victory on Friday. The Illini had trouble scoring in the second half, connecting on just two field goals in the last 10 minutes of the game.
Washington scored five of his 14 points in the final two minutes.
The Hokies will look to keep their run going when they face the Salukis, who may be without third-leading scorer Matt Shaw. Shaw went down with an injured ankle toward the end of the opening half in Friday's, 61-51, victory over No. 13 Holy Cross.
But Southern Illinois got a boost off the bench from Tony Boyle, who scored a career-high 14 points to lead four players in double figures.
However, Shaw did play when the squads met earlier this season in the championship game of a preseason tournament in Orlando in November. The Salukis defeated the Hokies, 69-64, after Jamaal Tatum hit a crucial 3-pointer with 26 seconds left.
- WEST REGIONAL
AT COLUMBUS OH
NCAA BB WEST REGIONAL
FINAL 1ST 2ND TOTAL
--- --- -----
VIRGINIA TECH 20 28 48
SOUTHN ILLINOIS 28 35 63 FINAL
Mar 18 5:13 PM - WEST REGIONAL
AT COLUMBUS OH
NCAA BB (5) VIRGINIA TECH 20
(4) SOUTHN ILLINOIS 28 HALFTIME
Mar 18 3:57 PM
Related News
- Virginia Tech basketball: Lynn Kidd is in some elite company this season Dec 23
- Virginia Tech Hokie Women’s Basketball Tops the William & Mary Tribe: 76-43 Dec 21
- Virginia Tech Hokies Women’s Basketball Runs by Rutgers: 84-59 Dec 17
- Virginia Tech Hokies Men’s Basketball Blows by the Vermont Catamounts: 73-51 Dec 17
- Virginia Tech Hokies Dominate the Radford Highlanders: 85-40 Dec 11
- Virginia Tech basketball: Hokies defeat Valparaiso 71-50 Dec 9
- Virginia Tech Hokies Defeat the Long Island U Sharks: 98-50 Dec 7
- Virginia Tech basketball: Hokies take down Louisville 75-68 in ACC opener Dec 3
- Virginia Tech Hokies Suffer a Tough Loss to LSU: 82-64 Dec 1
- Virginia Tech Hokies Women’s Basketball Takes Down Tulane: 76-70 Nov 25
- Virginia Tech basketball: Hokies with impressive win over Iowa State to advance in ESPN Invitational Nov 25
- Virginia Tech Hokies Defeat Kansas in the Cayman Islands in a Close One: 59-58 Nov 24