Dominant second half pushes #22 UVa. past Maryland

Senior forward Mike Scott scored a game-high 25 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the Virginia men’s basketball team to a 71-44 victory over Maryland in an Atlantic Coast Conference game at John Paul Jones Arena on Saturday (Feb. 18).

Freshman guard Malcolm Brogdon added 14 points and senior guard Sammy Zeglinski scored 11 points for the Cavaliers. Sophomore forward Akil Mitchell led the Cavaliers with a game-high 10 rebounds, his first career double figure rebounding game.

Virginia’s overall record improved to 20-6 with the win and the Cavaliers are now 7-5 in the ACC. It is UVa’s first 20-win season since 2006-07.

In this week’s national rankings, UVa is ranked 22nd in both The Associated Press poll and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll.

The loss drops Maryland’s overall record to 15-11 and the Terrapins are 5-7 in the ACC.

Sophomore guard Terrell Stoglin scored 14 points and freshman guard Nick Faust scored 13 to lead Maryland.

It’s the 11th time this season Virginia has held an opponent under 50 points.

The score was tied 31-31 at halftime and Maryland junior forward James Padgett scored the first basket of the second half. Virginia then scored 16 consecutive points to take control of the game and build a 47-33 lead with 12:26 remaining to play. Scott had seven points and sophomore guard Joe Harris scored six points in that UVa run.

Maryland got no closer than 12 points the rest of the game as the Cavaliers outscored the Terrapins 40-13 in the second half.

Scott has now scored in double figures in 13 consecutive games, the longest streak of his career, and the 25 points are his career high in an ACC game.

Brogdon’s 14 points are also an ACC career high.

Virginia shot 48.1 percent (26-54) from the field, including 60.0 percent (6-10) from three-point range, and 86.7 percent (13-15) from the free-throw line.

Maryland shot 26.9 percent (14-52) from the field, including 36.8 percent (7-19) from three-point range, and 56.3 percent (9-16) from the free-throw line.

It is the fifth time this season Virginia has held an opponent under 30 percent shooting from the field.

UVa returns to action on Tuesday (Feb. 21) when the Cavaliers play at Virginia Tech. That game is scheduled to begin at 9:00 p.m. and will be televised by ESPNU.