NEW YORK -- St. John's closed the gap on Virginia Tech, getting within two points of the Hokies with eight minutes remaining in this one, but A.D. Vassallo just answered with two straight baskets on consecutive trips down the floor.

Though Anthony Mason, Jr. and Eugene Lawrence have both shown at times that they can make big shots for the Johnnies, they haven't so far. Instead, it's been Vassallo and his scoring partner Deron Washington that have got it done for Seth Greenberg's ball club.

With 5:40 remaining, it's Virginia Tech 38, St. John's 36.