Virginia Tech 75, No. 8 Maryland 69

Monet Tellier tied a career high with 31 points and fueled a late charge that carried Virginia Tech to a stunning 75-69 upset of No. 8 Maryland on Thursday night. The Hokies (7-14, 3-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) came in with a five-game losing streak during which they failed to break the 50-point barrier. They had also dropped six in a row against Maryland. But Virgnia Tech overcame 38 percent shooting behind Tellier (who went 10 for 11 at the foul line) and a defense that forced 20 turnovers. Maryland (18-3, 5-3) was without leading scorer Alyssa Thomas, who sprained her left thumb in practice and watched from the sideline with a cast on her hand. Thomas, a 6-foot-2 sophomore, is averaging 17.2 points per game. She was desperately missed. Lynetta Kizer scored 21, Laurin Mincy had 19 and Tianna Hawkins added 18, but the rest of the Terrapins totaled only 11 points in the team's second straight defeat. Maryland maintained a slight lead throughout the second half until a driving layup by Tellier put the Hokies up 62-61 with 5:25 left. Porschia Hadley and Tellier followed with baskets to make it 66-61, and after Kizer made a free throw, Hawkins fouled out with 2:29 to go. Still, Maryland got to 66-63 before Aerial Wilson made a layup for the Hokies with 1:17 left. The Terrapins followed with several missed shots and a few more turnovers in stumbling to the finish. Earlier, Maryland appeared to take control when a three-point play by Kizer made it 45-37. But Tellier drilled two straight 3-pointers to spark a 9-2 run that got the Hokies to 47-46 with 13:44 left. It was 55-52 when Hawkins picked up her fourth foul with 10:08 remaining. With or without her, the Terrapins struggled on both ends of the court in losing for the first time in 12 home games this season. Maryland led 34-31 at halftime despite limiting Virginia Tech to 9-for-29 shooting. The Terrapins couldn't pull away because they committed 12 turnovers, including three apiece by backcourt mates Anjale Barrett and Kim Rodgers. Soon after Maryland scored seven straight points to go up 11-7, the Hokies answered with an identical run to take an 18-15 lead. Hawkins then made two layups in another 7-0 spurt by the Terrapins that made it 22-18. Virginia Tech pulled even at 26 before a 3-pointer by Mincy put Maryland ahead. The lead stood until Tellier's basket made it 62-61.