LEXINGTON, Va. (AP) Lavar Joseph scored 19 points Saturday as VMI beat Virginia Tech 72-68, the Keydets' first victory over an Atlantic Coast Conference team in 40 years.
VMI (3-1) had lost 37 games in a row to ACC opponents since beating Virginia 95-75 on Dec. 9, 1964. The Keydets' last win over Virginia Tech was on Dec. 31, 1997, when the Hokies were members of the Atlantic 10.
In their first season in the ACC, the Hokies started 4-0 for the first time since 1993 while the Keydets, members of the Big South, were coming off an 86-38 drubbing by Old Dominion.
The game was tied six times in the first half. A basket by Carlos Dixon gave Virginia Tech its last lead, 32-30, with 2:34 left in the half.
Matt Murrer came up with a steal and fed Matt Coward for a 3-pointer to put VMI ahead to stay, 33-32, with 2:09 left in the half. A 3-pointer by Joseph gave the Keydets their biggest lead, 66-57, with 3:27 remaining in the game.
Virginia Tech cut the lead to 66-63 on Chris Tucker's 3-pointer with 37 seconds left, but the Hokies could get no closer.
Four of Joseph's five field goals were 3-pointers as VMI outscored Virginia Tech from beyond the arc 39-15. Reggie Williams added 16 points and Coward had 15 for VMI.
Deron Washington led four Hokies in double figures with 15 points. Zabian Dowdell and Dixon added 13 apiece, and Jamon Gordon scored 12.
