Jay Huff keys #1 UVA in 63-43 win at Clemson

Clemson had a couple of open threes to take the lead early in the second half. Then UVA coach Tony Bennett went to little-used reserve Jay Huff.

A Huff three ignited a 20-6 run, and Virginia went on to a 63-43 win at Littlejohn Coliseum on Saturday.

The ‘Hoos (15-0, 3-0 ACC) led by as many as 12 in the first half, but Clemson (10-6, 0-3 ACC) closed to 27-21 at the break, shooting 10-of-12 at the line to make up for a woeful 5-for-21 (23.8 percent) shooting effort from the floor.

It was 29-27 UVA when Marcquise Reed and Shelton Mitchell missed back-to-back threes at the 17-minute mark.

A De’Andre Hunter three and a Reed free throw had it at 32-28 when Bennett inserted Huff into the game at the 15:46 mark.

A Huff three pushed the lead to seven, and he would score seven in the 20-6 run over a 6:58 stretch before checking out with the Cavaliers up 18, at 52-34.

Huff finished with 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting and seven rebounds in 10 minutes off the bench. The 7’1” redshirt sophomore had a plus/minus of +15.

Kyle Guy had 13 points on 5-of-15 shooting to lead Virginia.

Hunter had 12 on 4-of-10 shooting and seven rebounds.

UVA shot 40.4 percent (23-of-57) from the floor and was solid from three, making 10-of-23 (43.5 percent).

Reed led Clemson with 14 points, but he was just 3-of-14 from the floor, doing most of his damage at the free-throw line, where he shot 8-of-11.

The Tigers shot 25.9 percent (14-of-54) from the floor and 15.8 percent (3-of-19) from three-point range.

Story by Chris Graham