In a game pitting the nation’s top two defenses, #17 UVa. took control with its offense, getting points on nine of its last 11 possessions to steal a 63-58 road win at Clemson on Saturday.
The Tigers (15-9, 6-6 ACC) came out on fire, hitting their first six shots to lead 12-6 at the first media timeout. Clemson led by as many as seven in the first half before Virginia (21-5, 12-1 ACC) went on a 15-2 run to lead 29-23 on a Malcolm Brogdon three-pointer with 2:20 to go in the half.
It was 31-28 ‘Hoos at the break, and then Clemson’s D took over, limiting Virginia to a single field goal in the first 10:22 of the second half while opening up as much as a six-point lead.
An Anthony Gill layup with 9:38 to go cut the lead to four, and it was down to three when Joe Harris hit a three at the 8:18 mark to tie the game at 43.
A Brogdon jumper with 6:17 to go started Virginia’s offensive onslaught down the stretch. The Cavs went 6-of-7 from the field and 7-of-7 from the foul line in the final 6:17, with Brogdon closing out the game with four free throws in the final 17 seconds.
Harris led Virginia with 16 points. Brogdon and Mike Tobey added 14 each, and Gill had 12. The ‘Hoos shot 47.9 percent from the field (23-of-48) and outrebounded the Tigers 33-21.
Clemson shot 42.9 percent (18-of-42) from the field. K.J. McDaniels scored a game-high 24 points before fouling out with nine seconds to go.
With the win, Virginia remains a half-game out of first place in the ACC behind #1 Syracuse. The win was the ninth in a row for the Cavs, who are 6-1 on the road in the ACC.
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