COL BKB: Duke 81, Virginia Tech 64

BLACKSBURG, Va., Jan. 24 (UPI) -- Kyle Singler scored 16 points Thursday and third-ranked Duke pulled away in the second half to defeat Virginia Tech 81-64.

The Blue Devils (16-1, 4-0 ACC) won their sixth straight game.

Gerald Henderson added 12 points in a balanced attack and both DeMarcus Nelson and Greg Paulus had 10.

Virginia Tech (11-8, 2-3) played without Jeff Allen, the team's second-leading scorer and top rebounded. Allen is serving a two-game suspension for making contact with a referee at Georgia Tech last Saturday.

The Hokies were led by 16 points from A.D. Vassallo and 13 from J.T. Thompson. It was Virginia Tech's first home loss this season.

Duke had only a four-point lead at halftime, but the Blue Devils expanded it to 16 midway through the second period. Duke's next outing will be Sunday at Maryland, where North Carolina suffered its first loss of the season last weekend.