BLACKSBURG, Va. -- Zach LeDay scored 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, Seth Allen added 15 points and Virginia Tech beat the Virginia Military Institute 88-72 on Saturday night.We were much more purposeful with our dribbles and passes in the second half in the pace we want to play, said Virginia Tech head coach Buzz Williams.Virginia Tech (3-0) took the lead for good with 6:44 left in the first half on Khadim Sys layup. The Hokies led 44-34 at the break on the strength of 57 percent shooting and a 19-12 rebounding edge.I think we played real good pushing the ball, said LeDay, but we have to be better on the defensive end. We want to be playing in March.Tech led by 20 points on several occasions in the second half but VMI kept chipping away.QJ Peterson scored 29 points (23 in the second half) with three 3-pointers and eight rebounds for the Keydets (1-1).Hes a really good player and whats nice is that hes our hardest worker as well, said VMI head coach Dan Earl. His decision making . was really good.Were recognizing when someone has the hot hand and were trying to get them the ball, Peterson said of his big night in a losing effort. They trusted me more in the second half. They wanted me to keep on attacking and make the plays.Adrian Rich and Trey Chapman added 10 points apiece for VMI.Virginia Tech finished shooting 60 percent from the floor (33 of 55) and hit 7 of 17 3-pointers. VMI shot 44 percent from the floor and was outrebounded 34-28.Justin Bibbs and Chris Clarke each added 13 points for Tech.Allen said he is not looking ahead to the ACC portion of the schedule.We have to think about how to get better now, hopefully it will get to that level, he said. I feel pretty good -- off the court (and) on the court we love each other.Three games into the season Williams said he likes his team a lot.I think theyre playing for each other, he said.TAKEAWAYSVirginia Tech: Tech is now 91-43 all-time against the VMI Keydets in a rivalry that dates back to the 1908-09 season. The Hokies have won the last six games in the series. Tech doesnt begin the ACC portion of its schedule until a New Years Eve noon home game against Duke.VMI: The Keydets havent beaten Virginia Tech since Dec. 4, 2004.STAT OF THE NIGHTThe Hokies shot 51.7 percent from the free throw line -- 41 percent in the second half. We could easily have scored 100 if we made our typical free throw percentage, said Williams. Hopefully its an aberration; I dont think Seth Allen (1 of 5) is a 20-percent free throw shooter.UP NEXTVirginia Tech hits the road for their next game against New Mexico on Thanksgiving Day in Fullerton, California, competing in the Wooden Legacy tourney. ESPN will carry the 4:30pm contest. Williams noted the 10-day, 2 time zone trip: I dont know that Virginia Tech has ever done that.VMI is on the road Tuesday night against Presbyterian College. Well find out a lot about ourselves in these next four games, said Earl of a stretch that also includes Campbell and Radford. Custom George Brett Jersey . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. Custom Royals Jersey China . Aside from the trilogy main event title fight, there are a number of intriguing matchups in the heavyweight, welterweight and lightweight divisions. http://www.customroyalsjersey.com/ .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. Cheap Royals Jerseys . -- Ryan Getzlaf grabbed the three pucks wrapped in tape and held them up to his chest in the Anaheim Ducks dressing room for a celebration nine seasons in the making. Custom Royals Jerseys .C. -- Rodney Hood connected from all over the court while freshman Jabari Parker was busy swatting shots and scoring in transition. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Shakayla Thomas scored 16 points, Imani Wright had 13 points and nine rebounds, and No. 12 Florida State beat Jacksonville State 73-62 on Friday in a season opener for both teams.Wright, a transfer from Baylor, gave Florida State a 19-point lead early in the fourth quarter. Jacksonville State pulled to 69-61 with 2:32 left, but Thomas answered with a basket and the Seminoles led by double figures the rest of the way.Ivey Slaughter and Brittany Brown each added 10 points for Florida State, which has won 16 consecutive season-opening home games. Chatrice White, a transfer from Illinois, had eight points and eight rebounds.dddddddddddd It was Slaughters 49th career game scoring in double figures.Florida State coach Sue Semrau started her 20th season and coached in her 600th game.Briana Benson made 6 of 9 3-pointers and scored 21 points for Jacksonville State, which played against a ranked team for the first time since 2010. Gretchen Morrison added five 3-pointers and 16 points as the Gamecocks hit 13 of 25 shots from distance.Jacksonville State missed 11 consecutive shots in the first half, but only trailed 36-34. ' ' '