VIRGINIA 61, VIRGINIA TECH 59: The Cavaliers put the defensive clamps on the Hokies down the stretch, keeping the hosts scoreless for a nearly nine-minute span in the second half to notch a critical road win.

Virginia Tech led 49-42 with 13 minutes left, but didn’t score again until a pair of free throws with 4:35 remaining. By then, UVA had built an eight-point lead. enough to withstand the Hokies' desperate rally.

Virginia Tech turned the ball over with 2 seconds left, failing to get a shot up.

Sammy Zeglinski scored seven points in the Cavs’ 14-0 run and finished with 13 points. Senior forward Mike Scott, a leading contender for ACC Player of the Year, had a game-high 20 points and nine rebounds.

Virginia (21-6, 8-5 ACC) won for the first time in four road games and avoided a regular-season sweep at the hand of its bitter rival.

Virginia Tech (15-13, 4-9 ACC) entered ranked third in the ACC in 3-point shooting at 36.1 percent, and the Hokies buried 8 of their first 12 from beyond the arc. They missed their final four tries. Erick Green led the Hokies with 19 points.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Virginia point guard Jontel Evans has hit 28 of 50 shots (56 percent) over his last seven games. He went 4 of 4 Tuesday, including a desperation 3-pointer at the shot-clock buzzer that banked in. … Hokies senior F Victor Davila (groin) missed his third straight game. … Barring a miracle run in the ACC tournament, Virginia Tech will miss the Big Dance for the eighth time in coach Seth Greenberg’s nine seasons.