#13 UVA pounds overmatched Robert Morris

#13 UVA fought off early sluggishness from its 11-day final-exam break in dispatching Robert Morris, 79-39, on Saturday.

Virginia (9-1) trailed 13-12 with 6:23 left in the first half, but after coach Tony Bennett went to a small lineup – four guards with power forward Isaiah Wilkins at center – the Cavs closed out the half on a 20-5 run to take a 32-18 lead into the locker room.

Robert Morris (3-9), picked sixth in the preseason in the Northeast Conference, was no match in the second half, on either end of the floor, allowing the ‘Hoos to shoot 70.8 percent (17-of-24) before garbage time in the final four minutes, and making just 4-of-20 on their end.

Bennett was able to widely distribute his minutes with the big lead, and no one played more than 25 – London Perrantes and Darius Thompson.

Devon Hall had 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field in 18 minutes. Kyle Guy had 13 on 4-of-7 shooting from the floor in 21 minutes off the bench.

Jared Reuter and Jack Salt each had 10 in 17 minutes apiece for Virginia, which next plays on Wednesday on the Left Coast, at Cal in a 10:30 p.m. EST tip.

UVA Team Notes 

• Virginia is 2-0 in the all-time series with Robert Morris and 11-0 against current Northeast Conference opponents
• UVA is 144-37 in 11 seasons at JPJ, including 106-21 under Tony Bennett
• UVA held RMU scoreless for spans of over four minutes, 30 seconds on three occasions – twice in the first half and for 5:35 in the second half
• UVA has now held opponents to a scoreless drought of five-plus minutes nine times this year
• Robert Morris scored 18 points in the first half, its fewest in any half this season
• UVA has held opponents to fewer than 20 points in a half on seven occasions this season
• Virginia has held four opponents this season to fewer than 40 points
• UVA is 18-0 when holding opponents to fewer than 40 points under Bennett
• Virginia’s 14-point lead at halftime marked the eighth time this year the Cavaliers have entered the break holding a double-digit lead
• UVA out-rebounded Robert Morris, 38-22, the eighth time in 10 games that the Cavaliers have out-rebounded their opponents; UVA has not been out-rebounded this season (tied in rebounds vs. Ohio State and West Virginia)
• RMU scored its fewest points in seven seasons under head coach Andrew Toole (previous low was 40 earlier this season at Kansas State)
• Robert Morris did not score a field goal in the final 6:51 of the game

Player Notes 

• London Perrantes made his 110^th career start, tying with four others for 10^th in Virginia history
• Devon Hall matched a career high with 13 points and also had a season-high five rebounds; he also had 13 points in the 2015-16 season opener against Morgan State (11/13/15)
• Jack Salt scored a career-high 10 points; his previous high was eight on two occasions, including UVA’s last game against East Carolina
• Isaiah Wilkins dished out a career-high six assists; his previous high was five against Pitt on Feb. 6, 2016
• Ty Jerome recorded a season high with six assists (5 vs. Grambling State)