By Pete Iacobelli
Associated Press
CLEMSON, S.C. ó The pain shot through Malcolm Delaney’s arm as he stayed down on the court at the Littlejohn Coliseum. The Virginia Tech star wasn’t coming out, no matter how much he hurt.
“I’ve got to be tough in these type of games,” Delaney said.
No one was tougher than Delaney on Wednesday night. He scored 26 points, 17 in the second half, as the Hokies broke a three-game losing streak with an 80-77 victory over No. 12 Clemson.
The Tigers (22-5, 8-5 ACC) had a final shot to tie the game, but Demontez Stitt missed a desperation 3-point try.
The Hokies jumped on the court with Delaney leading the cheers. And why not? His latest performance capped an amazing two games against the Tigers.
He had 37 points last month ó still tops in the ACC this year ó in Clemson’s 86-82 win at Blacksburg.
Delaney had already keyed Virginia Tech’s second-half rally when he collided with Trevor Booker and went to the court. He grabbed his side and rocked in pain. Slowly, he stood up and walked off his problems. Moments later, Delaney finished a three-point play, then added two more free throws that put Tech up 68-61 with 9:21 to go.
“I know he’s a tough guy,” Hokies forward A.D. Vassallo said. “I knew he was going to get up and play.”Kind of what the Hokies (17-10, 7-6) need to keep doing the rest of the way to make the NCAA tournament.
“If we win a couple of more games, I don’t see how they can keep us out,” a smiling Delaney said.
For a while, it looked like Virginia Tech was going to continue its late-season fade and a run of close losses to the Tigers.
Clemson had control most of the opening half and was ahead 47-43 after K.C. Rivers made a 3-pointer early in the second. Then came breakdowns on defense.
Vassallo connected on three mostly wide-open 3-pointers over a two-minute span and the Hokies locked down on Booker, who had 15 points in the opening half and only six in the final 20 minutes.
Delaney didn’t start out well, shooting 3 of 10 from the field for nine points in the first half. He and his teammates picked up the pace in the second half.
Delaney hit three of his four 3-pointers down the stretch, and the Hokies were 7 of 11 from behind the arc in the second half.
Terrence Oglesby had six 3-pointers and 22 points for Clemson, but he couldn’t get free on the Tigers’ final play and Stitt had to force up a wild shot that had no chance of going in.
Booker finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds in his 10th double-double of the season, and Rivers had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
The Tigers lost the chance to notch consecutive winning seasons in ACC play for the first time in 40 years and just the second time ever. The road won’t get easier with a trip to No. 23 Florida State on Saturday.
“I give (Virginia Tech) credit,” Clemson coach Oliver Purnell said. “We came out of the blocks well, but they were tough and came up with big plays.”
Vassallo added 21 points for Virginia Tech, which had lost its past four meetings with Clemson. The past seven games in the series have been decided by five points or less.
“These games are tougher than nails,” Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg said.