ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Georgia Tech will go into the new year without having been seriously tested. B.J. Elder scored all but one of his 17 points in the first half as the third-ranked Yellow Jackets routed Virginia Commonwealth, 86-65, to improve to 12-0 for the first time in school history. "It's nice for these players, but we're not playing for December games," Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt said. "We're trying to put ourselves in position to play some meaningful games in March." Continuing its string of lopsided victories, Georgia Tech extended its longest winning streak since taking 15 in a row in 1985-86. The Yellow Jackets bettered the 11-0 start of the 1962-63 team, which went 21-5 but did not receive a postseason berth. Georgia's Tech's 26.4-point victory margin coming in was the second-biggest in the country. Georgia Tech has won eight games by at least 20 points and its closest call was an 90-79 victory at Cornell. The Yellow Jackets' ranking is their best since they were No. 2 on February 3, 1986. Marvin Lewis scored 19 points and Jarrett Jack added 17 for Georgia Tech, which opened a 48-25 halftime lead and built it to 31 points early in the second half. With Elder hobbled by leg cramps, Georgia Tech could not maintain its intensity and VCU pulled within 70-56 on a 3-pointer by B.A. Walker with 6:50 remaining. "We came out of the locker room and had that burst to get it to 31, then we might have just kind of laid back a little bit," Hewitt added. "But give Jeff (VCU coach Jeff Capel) and his players a lot of credit for doing what they did." Lewis snapped out of a 3-point slump, making 5-of-9 from beyond the arc after shooting 28 percent (8-of-28) in his previous five games. Domonic Jones and Michael Doles scored 15 points apiece for the Rams (4-7), who made just two more baskets (23) than turnovers. Georgia Tech converted the 21 miscues into 33 points. "They really get out and pressure you and they have great guards, and I've always felt like you win when you have good guards," Capel said. "Their guard game is very, very good with Jarret Jack, Marvin Lewis and B.J. Elder." Clarence Moore contributed 14 points off the bench for the the Yellow Jackets, who have yet to allow 70 points in a game this season.