GAME 34 Sunday, March 18, 2007 • 2:40 p.m. Nationwide Arena (19,916) Hokie Columbus, Ohio Live Stats: NCAASports.com TV: CBS Hoops Radio: Virginia Tech/ISP Network #5 Virginia Tech (22-11) vs. #4 Southern Illinois (28-6) Semifinals 2006-07 Schedule & Results Entering Today’s Game (22-11, 10-6 ACC) The Hokies enter today’s game 22-11 overall and finished the regular season 11/10 COPPIN STATE 94-43 W 10-6 in ACC play ... The Hokies are the fifth seed in the 2007 NCAA West Region 11/14 WEST FLORIDA 95-47 W ... Southern Illinois is 28-6 overall ... SIU is the fourth seed in the tournament. Old Spice Classic - Orlando, Fla. 11/23 Western Michigan (ESPN2) 68-71 L Last Time Out, #5 Virginia Tech 54, #12 Illinois 52 11/24 Montana (ESPNU) 77-56 W The Hokies put on one of their best comebacks in memory and came back 11/26 Southern Illinois (ESPNU) 64-69 L from a 13-point deficit with 8:18 remaining and defeated Illinois, 54-52, in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge first round of the NCAA West Region in Columbus, Ohio, on Friday night ... Tech 11/29 IOWA (ESPNU) 69-65 W scored the final 12 points of the contest, holding the Illini without a basket for the last 4:27 of action ... Deron Washington banked in a jumper in the lane with 46 BB&T Classic - Washington, D.C. seconds remaining to give the Hokies a 53-52 lead and A.D. Vassallo hit a free 12/ 3 George Washington (RSN) 62-63 L (Verizon Center)) throw in the final 23 seconds to give the Hokies a 54-52 lead ... Illinois had a couple of late chances, but the Hokies held on for the win ... Washington led the 12/ 6 OLD DOMINION 72-55 W Hokies with 14 points and Coleman Collins added 13 points in the win ... Jamon 12/10 APPALACHIAN STATE 69-37 W Gordon scored 10 points and had seven assists and seven steals in the win. 12/17 WAKE FOREST* (FSN) 63-60 W Aeropostale Classic - New York, N.Y. Taking Care of the Ball 12/21 Seton Hall (ESPNU) 80-61 W (Madison Square Garden) In the quarterfinal win over Wake Forest, the Hokies committed just two turnovers, both coming in the first half ... That is a season-low for the Hokies 12/23 CAMPBELL 94-70 W and the second-lowest in ACC Tournament history ... The only time a team has 12/30 at Marshall (CSS) 58-59 L committed fewer turnovers in an ACC Tournament game came in 1968, when NC 1/ 3 RICHMOND 65-53 W State committed just one turnover in a 12-10 quarterfinal win over Duke. 1/ 6 at #5/5 Duke*(ESPN) OT 69-67 W 1/10 at UNC Greensboro (RSN) 74-51 W (Greensboro Coliseum) The Series Vs. SIU 1/13 #1/1 UNC* (ABC) 94-88 W A rematch of a game in the Old Spice Classic in November, this is just the 1/17 at Florida State* 73-82 L second meeting between the Hokies and the Salukis ... SIU won the first meeting, 1/21 ARV/#22 MARYLAND* (FSN) OT 67-64 W 69-64 on Nov. 26 at the Milk House in Orlando. 1/23 at Miami* (RSN) 92-85 W 1/28 at Georgia Tech* (FSN) 73-65 W 1/31 N.C. STATE* (RSN) 59-70 L The First 2/ 3 at Boston College* (RLF) 59-80 L Virginia Tech’s 54-52 win over Illinois in the first round game on Friday night 2/10 VIRGINIA* (RLF) 84-57 W is the first NCAA win for the Hokies under Seth Greenberg (it was the team’s first 2/13 at #4/4 UNC* (RLF) OT 81-80 W NCAA game under Greenberg) ... This was the Hokies’ first NCAA appearance 2/18 at NC State* (RLF) 56-81 L since the 1996 tournament ... It is the Hokies’ first NCAA Tournament win since a 2/21 BOSTON COLLEGE* (ESPN) 79-62 W 61-48 win over Wisconsin-Green Bay in the first round of the 1996 NCAA Midwest 2/24 MIAMI*(RSN) 73-57 W Region in Dallas, Texas. 3/ 1 at ARV/#25 Virginia* (ESPN) 56-69 L 3/ 4 CLEMSON* (RLF) 74-75 L 3/ 9 vs. Wake Forest (RLF/ESPN) 71-52 W Noting the Win over Illinois 3/10 vs. NC State (RLF/ESPN) 64-72 L The 54 points the Hokies’ scored in the win over Illinois is the fewest for the 3/16 vs. Illinois# (CBS) 54-52 W Hokies in an NCAA victory and the second fewest points scored by Tech in any 3/18 vs. Southern Illinois# (CBS) 2:40 p.m. NCAA Tournament game ... Tech got no points off the bench in the game, just four rebounds ... The 21 points scored by Tech in the first half was tied for the fewest * - Atlantic Coast Conference Games # - NCAA West Region (Columbus, Ohio) points scored by Tech in a half this season and the fewest points scored in a half All times are EST this season in a game the Hokies won ... Tech’s 11 steals is the most this season All times are subject to change by an Illinois opponent ... Illinois’ 52 points is the fewest by a Tech opponent since Tech allowed UNC Greensboro 51 points on Jan. 10 and the fourth-lowest of the season ... Tech was outrebounded, 37-22. hokiesports.com Tech in the NCAA Tournament Gimme That! Close Games Virginia Tech is now 6-7 all-time in Virginia Tech recorded 11 steals in With the win over Illinois, the Hokies are the NCAA Tournament ... The Hokies the win over Illinois ... That is the 11th 20-20 under Seth Greenberg in games are now 5-3 in first round games ... Seth time this season that the Hokies have that were decided in overtime or by five-or- Greenberg is the fifth head coach to lead recorded at least 10 steals in a game ... fewer points, including a 6-5 record in such the Hokies into the NCAA Tournament ,,, The 11 steals is tied for the fifth-highest games this season ... Three conference All five have won at least one game. total of the season for the Hokies ... Tech wins came in overtime against nationally- had 16 steals in the win over Seton Hall in ranked teams ... Tech was 2-10 in such Increasing on Good Madison Square Garden ... In that game, games last season, with 10 games being With his seven steals in the win over Jamon Gordon had a season-high seven decided in the final seconds of action of Illinois, Jamon Gordon now has 93 steals steals, a number he tied in the win over those games ... Tech was 5-3 in such for the season, setting a new Virginia Tech Wake Forest in the ACC Tournament games during the 2004-05 season after record for steals in a season ... The old and again on Friday night in the win over finishing 7-2 the previous year. record was Dell Curry’s 89 steals in the Illinois. 1983-84 season ... Gordon now has three Mr. 500 of the top ten single-season steals totals Tops in the League With his five assists in the ACC at Virginia Tech, the only Hokie to hold Jamon Gordon was named the 2007 quarterfinal win over Wake Forest,Jamon that distinction ... Gordon’s 153 assists ACC Defensive Player of the Year, in a Gordon became just the second man in this season are third-best in school history vote by members of the Atlantic Coast Virginia Tech history to record 500 assists and surpass his best-ever season of 133 Sports Media Association ... Gordon, a in a career ... Bimbo Coles is the all-time assists last season ... Zabian Dowdell has senior from Jacksonville, Fla., received 54 leader, with 547 and Gordon now has 513 70 steals this season, tying his career-high first place votes, outdistancing teammate assists. ... The 70 steals are sixth-best in school Zabian Dowdell and Maryland’s D.J. history. Strawberry, who had 12 votes each ... Hokies on a Neutral Floor Gordon and Dowdell were each named to The Hokies are no strangers to playing Making a Comeback the ACC All-Defensive team ... This is the on a neutral court this season ... Tech Virginia Tech came back from a 13- first time a Virginia Tech player has won is 5-4 this season on a neutral floor ... point, second half deficit in the win over one of the league’s top individual awards Tech was 1-2 in the Old Spice Classic in Illinois, the largest deficit overcome in a ... Gordon was also the top vote getter in Orlando over Thanksgiving (including a game this season ... In Virginia Tech’s 65- the poll of league coaches by The Fan’s loss to Southern Illinois) ... Tech is 7-10 53 win over Richmond, the Hokies came Guide’s annual poll. on a neutral floor under Seth Greenberg back from a 12-point, first half deficit, ... ... The Hokies were 1-1 in the ACC Tech overcame a 12-point deficit three Dowdell All-District Tournament in Tampa last week ... Tech is times last season ... The largest deficit the Zabian Dowdell was selected first 5-7 in the NCAA Tournament on a neutral Hokies have overcome in an ACC game is team Division I District Four All-District court. 13 points, against N.C. State in Blacksburg for 2007, as selected by members of Dowdell, Gordon Earn ACC Honors in the 2004-05 season ..