Sorta, kinda, very much a must-win game for Virginia, which got its lunch money stolen on Saturday in that 76-54 loss at Notre Dame.
AFP editor Chris Graham will cover the game live here – with updated commentary and analysis from press row halfway up the lower bowl.
Virginia 14, Louisville 12, 11:18 1st, media timeout
Virginia, at least, isn’t down double-digits at the start, like had been the case in three of the last four.
The ‘Hoos are 6-of-12 from the floor, 2-of-6 from three.
Louisville is 4-of-8 from the floor.
Tony Bennett has already used nine guys.
Virginia ups lead to 24-14, 6:48/1st media timeout
Louisville is trying zone, and Virginia is getting good ball movement setting up looks from three.
UVA is now 4-of-10 from three.
Ragged stretch there for the good guys
It’s 26-20 at the 3:21 media timeout.
Louisville went back to man, and Virginia missed four of its five shots.
Only 20 possessions, slow pace, so 26 points is actually good in terms of efficiency on offense.
It doesn’t feel that way watching it.
Breathing room
Reece Beekman drives and scores (misses the FT). Then hits an open three. Then steals a pass and connects with Ryan Dunn for a lob slam.
Virginia leads 35-20, 39.0 seconds left in the half.
Half closes with buzzer-beater
Isaac McKneely drains a three at the horn to finish the half out with UVA up 38-22.
Update: The three was changed to a two, so it’s 37-22.
Virginia shot 16-of-31 (51.6%) from the floor and 5-of-12 (41.7%) from three.
Dunn had 10 points (5-of-6 FG) and four rebounds. Beekman had nine points (4-of-5 FG) and five assists.
Virginia’s 37 points came on 27 possessions (1.370 PPP).
Louisville’s vitals: 9-of-22 shooting (40.9%), 2-of-13 from three (15.4%), 0.846 PPP.
Odd substitution
McKneely picked up his third foul, so Bennett subbed Blake Buchanan in for him.
Bennett has been going big a bit this game. Buchanan has 12 minutes to this point (4:35 into the second half), and Jake Groves has played 21 minutes.
Thirty-three minutes from an available 24:35 for two guys who have exclusively played the five until tonight.
Is Tony finally acknowledging that he needed more inside presence?
Let us now praise … Taine Murray
Buchanan is getting big minutes, and so is Taine Murray, and he’s doing Taine Murray things, and more.
Murray’s redeeming value is that he doesn’t do anything wrong when he’s out there.
Tonight, on top of that, he’s 3-of-3 from the floor, with a three and two nice drives to the hoop, with two assists, no turnovers and good D, in 11 minutes.
iMac was feeling it there
Nice 10-point run for McKneely there – two threes and two mid-range jumpers.
He’ll finish with 18 points (7-of-11 FG, 4-of-7 3FG).
Virginia leads 68-45 at the last media timeout.
Final
Virginia 77, Louisville 53.
Recap to follow.
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