Virginia won its first game as a top-ranked team in more than 35 years, getting 22 points off the bench from De’Andre Hunter in a 59-50 win at Miami on Tuesday.
The ‘Hoos (24-2, 13-1 ACC) took control with a 13-0 first-half run that sent them into the break up 27-16 at the half, with Miami shooting just 21.4 percent from the floor (6-of-28) in the opening 20 minutes.
The Hurricanes (18-7, 7-6 ACC) would close to within three with a 10-2 run out of the locker room, but Hunter’s huge second half – 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting – was the difference.
Hunter, a 6’7” redshirt freshman, logged 30 minutes off the bench, and scored 12 of 14 UVA points in one stretch, as Virginia built as much as a 15-point lead, after a four-point play by Hunter put the margin at 55-40 with 3:02 left.
Miami shot 63.2 percent from the floor in the second half (12-of-19), but committed seven second-half turnovers.
Virginia shot 45.8 percent (22-of-48) from the floor for the game, and had a 32-24 advantage over the bigger ‘Canes on the boards.
Kyle Guy added 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting for UVA, which got six points and seven assists from Ty Jerome.
Chris Lykes had a career-high 19 points for Miami.
Team Notes
- Virginia improved to 24-2 and 13-1 ACC
- UVA is 21-3 all-time in the 12 weeks as the top-ranked team
- UVA clinched a double bye and top-four seed for the ACC Tournament
- UVA is 8-1 on the road, including 7-0 in ACC action
- UVA’s seven-game ACC road winning streak is its longest since winning eight straight in 2014-15
- Virginia limited its 25th opponent to less than 50 percent shooting (Miami – 38.3%)
- UVA has an ACC-leading 33-19 road mark in league play over the past six seasons
- UVA has held 20 opponents to 60 points or less
- UVA is 10-12 all-time vs. Miami
- UVA is 2-7 all-time against the Hurricanes in Coral Gables
- Ten of the last 11 meetings between the teams have been decided by nine points or less
- UVA led 27-16 at the half and improved to 22-0 when leading at the half
- The 16 first-half points allowed by UVA marked a season low
- UVA held Miami scoreless for7:21of the first half
Player Notes
- De’Andre Hunter (22 points) reached double figures in nine ACC games
- The 22 points by Hunter marked an ACC high in league play
- Kyle Guy (13 points) has reached double figures in 23 games
- Guy extended his made 3-pointer streak to 26 games, most for a UVA player since Sean Singletary’s 26-game streak (2006-08)