BLACKSBURG -- The Atlantic 10 has had some notable wins this season. Xavier knocked off Indiana. Dayton won at Louisville. Massachusetts and Rhode Island won at Syracuse.

George Washington did not add to its league's prestige Sunday.

Virginia Tech squashed GW 68-36 at Cassell Coliseum, holding a foe under 40 points for the second straight game.

What problems did Tech's defense pose for GW?

"You want me to name the top 10?" Colonials coach Karl Hobbs said with a laugh.

The 36 points were the fewest allowed by Tech (5-3) since a 50-32 win over Fordham in February 1997.

"We played defense for 40 minutes -- it's probably the first time we've done that in awhile," Tech guard A.D. Vassallo said. "We're kind of understanding now what we've got to do defensively to help each other out.

"We just did a great job containing the ball. That was the main thing, just keep the ball in front and make everybody ... take tough shots."

The 36 points were also the fewest scored by the Colonials (3-4) since a 54-34 loss to Temple in the 1994 A-10 tournament.

"They just really outplayed us in every phase," said Hobbs, whose team lost to Maryland-Baltimore County last month. "They outphysicaled us. They outran us. They outshot us. They dominated every phase of the game.

"There's got to be some changes. There were some performances that just aren't acceptable."

The game marked a return to Cassell for Wynton Witherspoon, who transferred to GW in 2006 after playing for the Hokies for two seasons.

Witherspoon and ex-teammate Deron Washington had been having a "friendly talk" via instant message all last week. Washington said Witherspoon was hoping to score at least 20 points. But Witherspoon, who entered the game averaging 12.8 points, had just seven points and was 3-of-10 from the field.

During the game, Tech students booed Witherspoon whenever he touched the ball. One time, they chanted, "Traitor."

Witherspoon and coach Seth Greenberg's family exchanged waves before the game. Greenberg said he told Witherspoon at game's end that he loved him. Witherspoon and Washington hugged after they left their locker rooms following the game.

"It was a fun matchup," Washington said. "My goal was to try to shut him down."

Witherspoon said he was not allowed to do an interview.

Washington had 17 points, including a windmill dunk following a steal.

Vassallo, who had been in a shooting slump, had 18 points and four 3-pointers.

"We ran a lot, ... which kind of helped me get open shots," said Vassallo, who has shorn his shaggy Afro for a close-cropped look because his mother didn't like his hairstyle.

GW shot 25.9 percent from the field, including 18.5 percent in the first half. The Colonials had 18 turnovers.

"We had tremendous defensive focus and intensity," Greenberg said. "We're not exactly the Phoenix Suns, but with this many young guys, they're starting to understand how to compete on the defensive end and guard the ball."

Forward Rob Diggs, averaging 13.8 points, was held to no points and was 0-of-6 from the field. Greenberg credited the defense of Cheick Diakite, who left the game in the second half with a leg cramp.

Tech once again improved offensively in the second half. Tech, which led 30-14 at halftime, shot 40 percent from the field in the first half but 55.2 percent in the second.

"We started to be a little bit more unselfish and make the extra pass," Greenberg said.

This is the first time Tech has held foes to fewer than 40 points in back-to-back games since doing it three straight times in 1946-47 (Quantico, House of David and Lynchburg).

GW MP FG FT R A F PT

Diggs 21 0-6 0-0 4 0 0 0

Witherspoon 32 3-10 0-0 6 3 1 7

Hollis 15 2-5 2-2 4 0 1 6

Alexander 25 0-2 0-0 5 0 4 0

Rice 24 3-11 0-0 1 0 0 8

Green 8 0-1 0-0 0 1 0 0

Beatty 11 1-5 0-0 1 0 0 2

Del Favero 1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0

Lee 12 0-0 0-0 4 0 1 0

Moore 28 5-9 0-0 2 0 4 13

Opoku 11 0-2 0-0 1 0 1 0

Wilmore 3 0-0 0-0 0 0 1 0

Laplante 2 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0

Katuka 7 0-3 0-0 1 0 1 0

Totals 200 14-51 2-2 33 4 14 36

Virginia Tech MP FG FT R A F PT

Allen 30 5-11 0-0 10 0 1 10

Washington 32 7-15 3-3 5 3 0 17

Diakite 18 0-2 0-0 4 1 1 0

Vassallo 27 7-12 0-0 5 3 3 18

Thorns 28 2-5 1-1 3 4 1 6

Bell 10 2-2 1-2 1 1 1 6

Amalfe 2 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0

Travis 3 1-1 0-0 0 0 1 3

Vinson 4 0-0 0-0 0 0 2 0

Witcher 17 2-3 0-2 3 1 1 4

Delaney 16 0-5 0-0 2 5 2 0

Debnam 2 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0

Thompson 11 2-2 0-3 3 1 1 4

Totals 200 28-59 5-11 41 19 14 68

Rebounds include team rebounds.

Score by periods:

G. Washington 14 22 -- 36

Virginia Tech 30 38 -- 68

3-point goals: GW (6-25 (Witherspoon 1-5, Hollis 0-3, Rice 2-6, Green 0-1, Beatty 0-4, Moore 3-6), VT 7-18 (Allen 0-1, Washington 0-2, Vassallo 4-7, Thorns 1-3, Bell 1-1, Amalfe 0-1, Travis 1-1, Delaney 0-2). Turnovers: GW 18 (Alexander 5), VT 11 (Vassallo 4). Blocked shots: GW 4 (Opoku 2), VT 5 (Diakite 2). Steals: GW 5 (Witherspoon 1, Hollis 1, Rice 1, Beatty 1, Moore 1), VT 9 (Allen 3).

Officials: Hess, Kersey, Hull.

Attendance: 9,847.