CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) -- Virginia Tech didn't want a second consecutive letdown after beating some of the top teams in the conference.

Zabian Dowdell scored a career-high 30 points to help the No. 24 Hokies beat Miami 92-85 on Tuesday night.

The victory helped Virginia Tech overcome the disappointment of a nine-point loss at Florida State on Sunday. The Hokies had beaten Duke, North Carolina and Maryland earlier in the season.

"We weren't very pleased how we came out of Florida State so we really made it a point of emphasis to come out with some energy," said Dowdell, whose point total was the most scored by a Hokies player ever in an ACC game.

Virginia Tech never trailed and twice built 21-point leads in the first half before Miami closed the margin to four points late in the second half.

"I'm very proud we were able to turn around and get a win," Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg said.

Deron Washington added 23 points and scored on two separate three-point plays in the final 1:16 to secure the victory for the Hokies, who have won six of their last seven.

After trailing most of the first half by double digits, Miami (9-12, 2-5) finally got to within 46-38 on Brian Asbury's three-point play 3:27 into the second half.

Dowdell scored four points and A.D. Vassallo added a 3-pointer, which increased Virginia Tech's lead to 66-53 lead with 9:19 remaining.

But the Hurricanes countered with a 9-2 spurt in the next 2:09. Jack McClinton capped the run on a 3-pointer which reduced the Hokies' advantage to 68-62 with 7:10 remaining.

Miami got no closer than 78-74 with 2:48 left on McClinton's basket.

"Early in the game it was too easy and I told the guys that they would make a run," Greenberg said.

Dennis Clemente scored 24 points to lead Miami, which has lost four straight. McClinton added 18 and Raymond Hicks had 16 points.

"The first 10 minutes we were not competitive," Miami coach Frank Haith said. "We saw some positive things from our guys but we just could not get over the hump.

"Late in the game, they made plays, they didn't get rattled and they made their free throws."

Dowdell, whose previous career high was a 25-point-performance against North Carolina A&T Dec. 7, 2005, finished 15 of 18 from the free throw line.

"When I'm out there, I'm just trying to make plays, that's my mindset, whether they`d be for me or for my teammates," Dowdell said. "I just tried to stay aggressive and play as hard as I could."

Dowdell, Washington and Jamon Gordon each hit 3-pointers to help the Hokies open to a 9-2 lead in the first 3:53 of the game.

Virginia Tech converted on 6-of-9 three pointers in the first half.