Nov. 12, 2005

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) - Virginia Tech freshman A.D. Vassallo tipped it into the Bowling Green basket just before the buzzer sounded to give the Falcons a 72-71 win Saturday in the NABC Classic.

It was Bowling Green's first win over an Athletic Coast Conference opponent since 1967.

"I got off the floor as quick as I could - they weren't going to get us back on," said Falcons coach Dan Dakich about any possible dispute on the tip-in.

Martin Samarco led Bowling Green (1-1) with 21 points.

The Falcons jumped out to a 10-point lead with 9:30 left in the first half, but the Hokies charged back and trailed by five at 33-28 at the break.

Tech (1-1) kept fighting back to keep it close in the second half, before a 9-2 run gave the Falcons some breathing room at 66-56 with 5:05 left. Then Tech went on a 15-6 run, then took their first lead since the five-minute mark of the opening half on a Zabian Dowdell layup with 13 seconds left.

John Floyd put up an off-balance jumper with three seconds left, and in the scramble for the rebound Vassallo tipped it into Bowling Green's basket.

Coleman Collins had 22 for the Hokies, and Floyd had 17.

"There's 30 games in a season," Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg said. "I'm not jumping off any buildings."