Virginia 60, Virginia Tech 56

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) J.R. Reynolds scored a game-high 23 points to help Virginia hold off Virginia Tech 60-56 in the first round of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament on Thursday night.<br> <br> Laurynas Mikalauskas added 11 points and 12 rebounds in his first start in more than two months for the seventh-seeded Cavaliers (15-13), who advanced to Friday&#39;s quarterfinals to face second-seeded North Carolina. The win ended a three-game losing streak for Virginia, which also won both meetings with the Hokies during the regular season.<br> <br> Zabian Dowdell scored 15 points to lead the 10th-seeded Hokies (14-16), who remained winless in two seasons in the ACC tournament.<br> <br> This was hardly a steady performance by the Cavaliers, who led by 10 early in the second half before falling behind by four with about 6 minutes left. Virginia hit just three field goals in the last 14 1/2 minutes and committed 17 turnovers that led to 20 points for the Hokies, while also shooting 42 percent and missing 12 of 29 free throws.<br> <br> Virginia also got a shaky day from Sean Singletary, who this week became Virginia&#39;s first All-ACC first-team performer in 14 years. The sophomore scored just eight points on 2-for-10 shooting, while the Cavs bench managed just two points.<br> <br> But in the end, the Cavaliers found a way to win.<br> <br> With Virginia Tech leading by one, T.J. Bannister penetrated and found Mikalauskas for a score inside and a 57-56 lead with 1:54 to play. Then, after a miss by Reynolds two possessions later, Mikalauskas grabbed the rebound and got fouled, hitting a free throw to push the margin to 58-56.<br> <br> Virginia Tech had its chances, but couldn&#39;t come up with the tying basket. Dowdell missed a shot that would have tied it after Mikalauskas&#39; free throw, and A.D. Vassallo missed an open 3-pointer after a free throw by Adrian Joseph.<br> <br> Reynolds effectively sealed it with a free throw with 8.8 seconds left, giving Virginia at least one win in the ACC tournament for the third straight year.<br> <br> Mikalauskas came in averaging 5.8 points and hadn&#39;t started since the Western Kentucky game on Jan. 2.<br> <br> (Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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