Second-ranked UVA overcame a sluggish offensive effort in its first game without star guard Justin Anderson, using a 7-0 second-half run to take control before finishing off N.C. State, 51-47, on Wednesday night in Raleigh.
Virginia (22-1, 10-1 ACC) trailed 21-19 at the half after shooting just 33.3 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes, but the Cavs’ defense didn’t suffer in the absence of Anderson, a 6’6” junior who is out four weeks after surgery on the pinky finger on his left hand broken in the win over #8 Louisville last weekend.
State (14-11, 5-7 ACC) shot 31.0 percent in the first half, and 33.3 percent for the night, in a game that the Pack desperately needed to keep its increasingly dim NCAA Tournament hopes alive.
But N.C. State still led 33-31 with 7:48 to go before UVA finally got its offense untracked. A Malcolm Brogdon layup at the 7:37 mark ignited the 7-0 run that gave the ‘Hoos a five-point lead on a Devon Hall layup 1:12 later, and Virginia withstood losing Brogdon for a stretch due to foul trouble.
The Cavs shot 41.7 percent (10-of-24) from the floor in the second half, and made six of their last 11 from the field in the final 9:40.
Brogdon scored 15 points on 5-of-13 shooting from the field to lead Virginia. Mike Tobey had 11 points and nine rebounds, and Anthony Gill had nine points and 11 rebounds.
Virginia won the rebounding battle, 43-31.
State got 14 points from Trevor Lacey.
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