Box Score (PDF)

BLACKSBURG, Va. –The Citadel men's basketball team lost to Virginia Tech on Saturday afternoon, 113-71.
 
Virginia Tech (9-1) opened the game with a three-pointer but Quayson Williams responded with one of his own on the next possession to tie it up at 3-3. The Citadel (7-5) took its first lead of the game with 16:14 remaining after Kaleon Harris made a breakaway layup to make it an 8-7 game.
 
Preston Parks scored the first of his 16 first half points with a layup at the 15:41 mark and followed with another two-pointer 30 seconds later to make it a 12-9 Bulldogs' lead. The Citadel went on a 13-point run from 17:45-14:28, capped by a deep Matt Frierson three-pointer to make it 15-9. With 11:21 remaining, Parks pushed the Bulldogs' lead to 23-15 after stealing the ball and then converting a layup.
 
VT tied the game with five minutes remaining but Harris got the ball and drove all the way to the basket, making a tough layup to give the lead back to The Citadel. One minute later, the Bulldogs went on a five-point run as Johnson hit a trey and then converted a layup, after a steal by Warren Sledge, to make it 35-33.
 
Johnson continued to be everywhere on the court as the freshman came up with another steal seconds later which led to a three by Parks to give the Bulldogs a 38-35 lead with three minutes left in the first half.
 
At the halftime break, the Bulldogs held a 44-40 lead thanks to a three ball by Sledge with 46 seconds remaining. The first half featured six ties and three lead changes as Parks led all scorers with 16 points.
 
The second half was all Virginia Tech as the Hokies shot 69.2 percent from the floor and 75.0 percent from beyond the arc.
 
Parks registered his fourth 20-point game this season and fourth consecutive game in double figures, finishing with 20 points on eight-of-16 shooting from the floor. Harris tallied 15 and Sledge finished with 12 as the Bulldogs were held to just 36.8 percent shooting from the floor.
 
The Bulldogs continue their trip north as they take on UMBC in Catonsville, Maryland, on Dec. 19. The 7 p.m. contest will be the last non-conference matchup of the season. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3 with live stats available at CitadelSports.com.
 
For more information on The Citadel basketball, follow @CitadelHoops or visit CitadelSports.com.