BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) Malik Muller and Justin Bibbs scored 15 points apiece to lead Virgina Tech to a 71-46 win over Maryland-Eastern Shore on Friday night.
Muller was 5 of 5 from the field, including a pair of 3-pointers, while Bibbs' 15 points marked the most by a true freshman in a game since 2007. The Hokies shot 24-of-46 (52 percent) in the win. They also blocked 8 shots.
The undermanned Hawks got 11 points from Ryan Andino and 9 from Devin Martin. The Hawks were just 13-of-47 (27.7 percent) from the field. They committed 15 turnovers.
Tech raced out to a 7-0 lead in the first half before the Hawks called timeout. After building a 22-9 lead on 10-of-18 shooting the Hokies cooled down to 48.8 percent (13-27), and took a 30-20 advantage into the break and held a 27 point lead on several occasions late in the second half.
Maryland-Eastern Shore shot a dismal 6-20 (30 percent). Eight Hawks turnovers - versus none for Virginia Tech - and 11 points off those miscues were a big part of the story.
Virginia Tech is now 6-0 all-time vs Eastern Shore; every game in Blacksburg. Tech is coming off a 9-22 campaign (2-16 in Atlantic Coast Conference play) under former head coach James Johnson. Five players from Johnson's tenure left the program before the beginning of the Buzz Williams era in Blacksburg.
