Allen's 18 lift Virginia Tech past Miami, 72-68
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jeff Allen had 18 points and 11 rebounds, including three straight baskets for Virginia Tech in the second half, and the Hokies beat Miami 72-68 Sunday night.
Erick Green added 15 points and Malcolm Delaney had 14 for the Hokies (14-6, 4-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), who had to hold on at the finish to win for the 10th time in 12 games.
The Hurricanes (12-9, 1-6) lost their fourth in a row, but their combined margins of defeat in those games total only 11 points.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Durand Scott scored 21 points and Malcolm Grant 14 for Miami, three in the second half.
The Hurricanes closed to within a point with 2:54 left, setting off a wild finish, but Green hit three key free throws in the last 3 minutes and the Hokies held on.
Garrius Adams added 11 points for the Hurricanes, all in the second half.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Miami used a 13-5 run to close a 57-48 deficit to 62-61 on Adams' second consecutive 3-pointer with 2:54 to play, but Green scored inside and was fouled.
He made the free throw, setting up a wild finish.
Scott drove and scored, and Delaney answered with a 3-pointer, his first points of the second half, to make it 68-63. Scott drew a foul at the other end and made both again, and then Green did the same for the Hokies, keeping them ahead by five with 1:37 remaining.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Adams' third 3-pointer 10 seconds later made it 70-68, and after Delaney missed a 3-pointer for the Hokies, Miami had two clean looks from behind the arc, and neither went down.
Delaney, the Hokies' best free-throw shooter, was fouled with a chance to make it a two-possession game, but he missed the first and made the second, giving the Hokies a 71-68 lead.
When Miami missed another 3, Terrell Bell rebounded for the Hokies, converted the last free throw and it was over.