Blacksburg, VA -- (Sports Network) - A.D. Vassallo tallied a game-high 18 points as the Virginia Tech Hokies ran away from the UAB Blazers, 75-49, in the second round of the NIT at Cassell Coliseum.

Also scoring in double figures for the top-seeded Hokies (21-13) were Malcolm Delaney and Deron Washington with 17 and 16 points, respectively. The team will now face off against Ole Miss in the quarterfinals of the tourney on Wednesday night.

The fifth-seeded Blazers (23-11) had just one player in double figures as Reggie Huffman recorded a double-double consisting of 10 points and a game- high 10 rebounds. Robert Vaden, who entered the contest leading the team in scoring with 21.4 ppg, shot a miserable 3-of-17 from the field, including 1- of-12 beyond the arc, as he finished with just nine points.

VaTech showed a strong defense out on the perimeter in the first half, forcing the visitors to miss on all seven of their three-point attempts, resulting in a 36-21 advantage at the break.

In the second half not only did UAB make a mere 3-of-11 from beyond the arc, the squad also converting just 3-of-10 at the free-throw line in the 26-point defeat.

The Hokies survived just 12-of-21 shooting at the charity stripe by forcing 16 turnovers and converting those miscues into 23 points.