Ninth-ranked UVA got 17 points apiece from Malcolm Brogdon and Justin Anderson en route to an easy 75-55 win over an overmatched South Carolina State Tuesday night.
The ‘Hoos (3-0) broke open a tight game midway through the first half with a 14-0 run that lifted them to a 41-20 lead at the half. The Bulldogs (0-3) shot just 22.7 percent from the field (5-of-22) in the first 20 minutes, but were much better in the second half, fueled by a barrage of threes by Karon Wright, who went 5-for-8 from long-range in the second half after a scoreless first half.
The relative flurry did little to raise any question as to what the final outcome would be. Virginia led by as many as 28 in the latter stages before garbage time.
South Carolina State did shoot 38.6 percent in the second half (14-of-36) to finish at 32.8 percent (19-of-58) for the game. The Bulldogs were the first of Virginia’s opening three opponents to shoot better than 29 percent from the floor.
UVA was 27-of-57 from the floor (47.4 percent) for the game and had a 40-14 advantage in points in the paint.
Virginia also outrebounded the Bulldogs 46-26, getting eight rebounds each from Anthony Gill and Isaiah Wilkins.
The competition ratchets up a bit on Friday night at JPJ when the Cavs host George Washington, a 2014 NCAA Tournament qualifier picked to finish in the top four in the rugged Atlantic 10.
The UVA-George Washington game tips off at 7 p.m.