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. Jerry Rice Youth Jersey . At a Manhattan federal court hearing, attorney Jordan Siev said his law office has gotten more evidence nearly every day to support its lawsuit accusing MLB and Selig of going on a "witch hunt" to ruin Rodriguezs reputation and career. He said the defendants went "way over the line. Isaiah Johnson Raiders Jersey .In my heart and mind Im competing for India, luge competitor Shiva Keshavan told The Associated Press in an email interview. Every day Im flooded with messages from Indians all over the world telling me they are supporting me. http://www.footballraidersmall.com/Youth-John-Matuszak-Elite-Jersey/ .ca! Kerry, Two nights after the Scott-Eriksson incident in Buffalo, the Bruins returned home to play San Jose. In that game, Zdeno Chara put a check on Tommy Wingels that clearly targeted his head. Jim Plunkett Womens Jersey . Manuel was offered a position the day he was fired. He accepted earlier this week and the team made the announcement Friday. Trayvon Mullen Youth Jersey . Jeff Green scored 13 points and Kris Humphries 12 for the Celtics, who nearly blew an 18-point, second-half lead. Sullingers 20-20 was the first by a Celtics player since Kevin Garnetts first game in Boston in 2007. Garnett was dealt -- along with Paul Pierce -- to Brooklyn during the off-season. HOUSTON -- As the No. 9 Texas A&M Aggies take a break from the rigors of Southeastern Conference to host New Mexico State on Saturday, they are far more worried about improving than they are about their opponent.And thats not simply because theyre 48 1/2-point favorites.Our identity as a team this year is playing the next week, quarterback Trevor Knight said. Its about us and a nameless, faceless opponent. And thats no disrespect to who were playing, but we want to worry about us and play as best we can.The Aggies are looking to rebound after taking their first loss of the season last week in a 33-14 defeat at top-ranked Alabama . Linebacker Justin Evans said its easier to move on from that game since a single loss to the No. 1 team could still give them an outside chance at the College Football Playoff.We know with just one loss we can still do a lot, Evans said. We dont want to look too far ahead, but in the back of our mind we know that were still playing for something so its going to be there.Texas A&M returns to SEC play next week with a trip to Mississippi State before hosting Mississippi on Nov. 12.But first theyll meet New Mexico State for the first time. New Mexico State has had a tough time this season with just two wins and is coming off a 22-19 loss to Georgia Southern.New Mexico State coach Doug Martin knows things will be tough for his offense on Saturday in facing a defense led by Myles Garrett and Daeshon Hall . New Mexico State is tied for 111th in the nation after allowing 21 sacks this season. Texas A&M has piled up 23 sacks, which ranks 12th in the country. Garrett leads the Aggies with four sacks and Hall and Jarrett Johnson have 3 1/2 each. Garrett and Hall have also combined for 18 quarterback hurries.The two defensive ends are first round draft picks so its going to be a real challenge for our offense to move the football, Martin said. But were a pretty good offensive football team so looking forward to that challenge.Some other things to know about the game:RUNNING WILDTexas A&M ranks third in the nation by averaging 251.4 yards rushing a game. The Aggies success has come from splitting carries between freshman Trayveon Williams andd Keith Ford and with quite a bit of help from Knight.dddddddddddd Williams leads the team with 727 yards rushing and Ford has added 304 yards rushing. Knight has 526 yards rushing and leads the team with nine rushing scores.Ford, who has missed time with an injury this season, impressed coach Kevin Sumlin by leading the team with 62 yards rushing against Alabama.At beginning of year I said wed need all the backs, Sumlin said. All provide change of pace for difference defenses. That was more of a Keith Ford-style of football game and I think you saw that. His experience in those situations showed. Way he runs showed. Physical, tough guy in that situation, a different back than Trayveon.TEAM STRENGTHNew Mexico State has seven different players who have at least 150 yards receiving this season, giving quarterback Tyler Rogers plenty of targets each week. The group is led by Gregory Hogan, who has 26 receptions for 335 yards and three touchdowns and Tyrian Taylor with 304 yards receiving.Our offensive kids have a lot of confidence, Martin said. We have a really good group of wide receivers that can really compete against anybody and it kind of gives us an edge.WE HAVE GOOD RECEIVERS, TOONew Mexico State isnt the only one with a solid group of receivers as the Aggies receivers might be the strength of A&Ms offense. Josh Reynolds has 515 yards receiving and five scores and Christian Kirk also has five touchdowns and has added 410 yards receiving. Ricky Seals-Jones missed two games with an injury before returning last week against Alabama and has 200 yards receiving.I still say thats the best receiving corps in the country, Knight said of A&Ms receivers. And theyve proven that time and time again, and its just getting the ball in their hands and being more consistent.PILING `EM UPNew Mexico State linebacker Rodney Butler leads the nation with 102 tackles. Butler had a season-high 24 tackles against New Mexico on Sept. 10 and has had at least 12 tackles in all but one game this year.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '