A Joe Harris floater ignited a 19-2 second-half Virginia run, and the Cavs rode the run to a 70-58 win over #14 Michigan in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge Tuesday night in Charlottesville.
The Wolverines (5-2) led 39-34 before the Harris short jumper cut the lead to three at the 12:42 mark. Freshman Malcolm Brogdon scored on a layup and then after a Zack Novak jumper tied the game at 41 with a long three.
Brogdon would score eight points and Mike Scott added six in the run, which was highlighted by stingy UVa. defense, with the Cavs holding Michigan scoreless for a 6:27 stretch that ended with Virginia leading 53-41.
“They’re a very potent offensive team. But, to start the second half, they three or four times got right to the paint against us, and I said, That’s enough. Either we work on defense and make them earn from over the top outside, or we’re not going to be in this game,” said Virginia coach Tony Bennett, who also credited his team’s hard work on the boards in the second half as another key to the game for the ‘Hoos.
UVa. (6-1) outrebounded Michigan 36-26, limiting the Wolverines to just three offensive rebounds on the night.
Scott led the way on the glass, pulling down a game-high 11 rebounds to go along with 18 points. Harris also scored 18 for Virginia, with Brogdon adding 16 and Sammy Zeglinski contributing 11.
Novak scored 17 to lead Michigan, which got just five points from leading scorer Tim Hardaway Jr., who had come into the game averaging 17 points per contest.
“They really guarded him very well. Tim is not going to be the last guy that comes in here with a high profile that they pay a lot of attention to,” Michigan coach John Beilein said.
Support AFP
Share
Chris Graham
