BLACKSBURG, Va. -- After three consecutive years of being on the NCAA tournament bubble and winding up disappointed in the NIT, Virginia Tech senior Malcolm Delaney hopes the Hokies made a pretty strong case for inclusion in the big tournament this year.

The Hokies used a late 15-4 run over a span of 4½ minutes to turn a six-point deficit into a five-point lead Saturday night and they held off top-ranked Duke 64-60, getting the badly needed signature victory that could boost their NCAA credentials significantly.

"A lot of teams, down six to Duke, would have just folded up and let Duke put the game away, but we didn't," Delaney said of turning a 53-47 deficit into a 62-57 lead. "We buckled up and got stops."

Terrell Bell scored 12 points, including five straight to give Virginia Tech the lead for good with 4:19 to play, and the Blue Devils' night-long shooting woes never relented.

"Our offense let us down tonight," Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski said.

The Blue Devils shot under 40 percent and were 4 for 20 from 3-point range.

The Hokies (19-8, 9-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) got big shots from several players, but none more important than Bell. His 3-pointer from the right corner tied it with 4:40 left, and when he was fouled moments later, he said he needed the stoppage to collect himself.

"I definitely had to calm myself," he said. "It was a big moment for me. There was a lot going through my mind. I just had to take some deep breaths and knock down the free throws."

He made both, and when Jeff Allen was credited with a basket on goaltending with 2:39 left, the lead was four and it was time for Delaney, the Hokies' top player, to respond.

After Kyle Singler's basket, Delaney made his only 3-pointer of the night, swishing it in from the top of the key, building the lead back to five and giving the Hokies some room.

"We were up two. I had to hit that shot," Delaney said.

The Blue Devils (26-3, 12-2) had chances in the closing minute to pull even when Virginia Tech struggled at the free throw line, but couldn't capitalize. Duke had its seven-game winning streak snapped, and lost for the first time in the last five against the Hokies.

"It was like an NCAA game," Krzyzewski said. "It was that level."