N.C. State controls flow, upsets #15 UVA, 68-61, in ACC Wednesday Night Hoops

Virginia fought back from a 14-point first half deficit to lead briefly in the second half, but N.C. State took control with a 12-2 run, and sent the ‘Hoos to their third straight loss, 68-61, Wednesday night.

The Pack (11-9, 7-8 ACC) led 24-10 at the six-minute mark of the first half, but the Cavaliers (15-6, 11-4 ACC) got back to 29-23 at the break, and actually took the lead with 14:31 to go on a pair of Sam Hauser free throws.

UVA missed eight of its next nine from the floor over a 6:45 stretch as N.C. State took control, eventually getting the lead back to 10, at 51-41, on a D.J. Funderburk dunk at the 5:51 mark.

Virginia was able to get back to four on a three-pointer by Hauser with 18 seconds left, his second three in an eight-second span, but that was as close as it would get.

Hauser finished with 21, 19 in the second half, and Jay Huff had 19 points and 11 rebounds for the ‘Hoos.

Funderburk and Cam Hayes each had 14 to lead N.C. State, which has now won three straight.

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More Postgame

• It’s time for another Joe Harris-Tony Bennett strategy session
  Tony Bennett is facing an alchemy problem not unlike the one he faced back in 2013-2014.
• What this Virginia team is missing: Someone who can win a dick swinging contest
  If there was a dick swinging contest, and Darion Atkins was among the contestants, you’d put your money on Darion Atkins.
• Scott German: Everything went right for N.C. State, wrong for Virginia
  With the shot clock ticking away, and Jay Huff racing toward him, Cam Hayes banked in a 35-foot three-pointer, pretty much summing up tonight’s 68-61 N.C. State win over Virginia here in John Paul Jones Arena.

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Notebook

Courtesy UVA Athletics

Team Notes

• Virginia fell to 15-6, 11-4 ACC with its third consecutive loss
• The loss ended the Cavaliers’ 15-game winning streak at JPJ
• The Cavaliers dropped to 9-1 at home (6-1 ACC)
• A pair of free throws from Jay Huff gave UVA its first lead at 35-33 at 14:33 second half
• Virginia gained its first tie (29-29) on a pair of 3-pointers from Sam Hauser to start the second half
• The Cavaliers trailed 29-23 at halftime
• UVA shot 37.1 percent, including 1 of 9 from 3-point range, in the first half
• UVA started 2 of 13 from the floor and trailed 17-4 at 10:43 first half
• UVA went 14 of 14 from the free throw line
• NC State outrebounded Virginia 31-30

Series Notes

• Virginia is 68-84 all-time vs. NC State in the series that dates back to 1912-13
• UVA is 13-2 in their last 15 regular-season games against NC State
• UVA defeated NC State 64-57 earlier this season
• Tony Bennett is 14-4 vs. NC State as head coach at Virginia

Player Notes

• Double Figure Scorers: Sam Hauser (21), Jay Huff (19), Kihei Clark (11)
• Huff (11 rebounds) recorded his ninth career double-double
• Huff has reached double figures in 16 games
• Huff matched a career high with three steals
• Huff (5 blocks) recorded his 16th multi-block game (43rd career)
• Hauser has reached double figures in 19 games
• Clark reached double figures for the 13th time
• Tomas Woldetensae missed his second straight game due to contact tracing

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Preview: #15 Virginia hosts N.C. State in ACC Wednesday Night Hoops

It isn’t quite must-win, but, OK, maybe it’s getting to that for #15 Virginia, which hosts N.C. State tonight at 6:30 p.m.

You still can’t go, and if you don’t have an ACC Network sub, you can’t watch, either.

If you do, see if you notice a better crop of commercials. I had a nice email back-and-forth with an ESPN folk about the low-rent commercials and house ads a couple of weeks ago, and it’s probably a coincidence, but it seems like they’re paying better attention there.

Anyway, back to UVA (15-5, 11-3 ACC), which a week ago was flying high, 11-1 in the ACC, ranked seventh nationally.

Then, reality – a beatdown loss at FSU, then a one-point loss to a barely .500 Duke team playing without its best player, who just bolted, though for some reason it’s controversial to say that he bolted, even though, you know, he bolted.

Now the ‘Hoos get an N.C. State team that is barely .500, playing without its best player, who didn’t bolt – Devon Daniels tore his ACL, which, I’ve done that, it sucks.

But the Pack (10-9, 6-8 ACC) seem to have righted the ship after losing four of their first five after losing Daniels to the ACL injury.

They’re not going to the Big Dance unless they win the ACC Tournament, but this is a tough out State team.

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Pregame Coverage

• ‘Street Knowledge’ on Facebook: UVA-NC State preview
  AFP editor Chris Graham breaks down tonight’s ACC matchup between #15 UVA and N.C. State.
• What UVA Basketball fans need to remember about N.C. State
  N.C. State, in its 64-57 loss to Virginia back on Feb. 3, didn’t do a good job on the Cavaliers’ Big Three – Sam Hauser, Jay Huff and Trey Murphy III, who combined for 48 points. And yet, the Pack was able to hang around.
• Virginia coach Tony Bennett: ‘When we play right, we can be good’
  Even in a normal year, it would have taken about to where we are now to get a feel for how good this Virginia basketball team could be – with three starters basically new to the system, two of them not even on Grounds this time last year.

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