UVA Basketball: Cavaliers outlast Miami, 86-83, in instant classic on Tony Bennett Day

I’ve not heard a UVA Basketball home crowd that loud in a while, but, makes sense: that 86-83 win over Miami on Saturday, which came down to three Chance Mallory free throws with 3.6 seconds left, was an NCAA Tournament second weekend-quality game, right here in Charlottesville.

There were seven ties and nine lead changes in the second half.

A 12-3 Virginia run got the ‘Hoos on top.

Then there was an 11-2 UVA run to take the lead.

Which the ‘Canes answered with a 12-2 run.

A Jacari White fast-break three with 1:16 to go that put Virginia up four almost lifted the roof off the John Paul Jones Arena.

That three left UVA up 83-79. Miami got back to square on a tip-in by Ernest Udeh – the ‘Canes owned the glass today; more on that coming up – and, after a miss by Thijs de Ridder, and a no-call on the rebound, on which Mallory was mauled, Malik Reneau tied the game on a driving layup with seven ticks left.

Ryan Odom, channeling Tony Bennett, who was honored before the game, with UVA Athletics naming the court in his honor, didn’t use the timeout he had in his pocket, allowing his team to advance the ball after the made basket, and in scramble mode, Mallory drew a foul on a wild attempt from three.

After a review to confirm that it was a three that felt a smidge like an attempt to ice the shooter, the freshman calmly sank all three free throws to break the tie.

Miami advanced the ball to the midcourt stripe and called timeout with 3.2 seconds left.

UM coach Jai Lucas had drawn up a play with his use it or lose it timeout at the end of the first half that got an open three for Tru Washington, who knocked down the shot to give the ‘Canes the lead at the half.

Odom positioned his guys well to take away the redux; de Ridder picked off the crosscourt pass from Reneau and flung the ball into the air to allow time to expire.

ICYMI: UVA-Miami coverage

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• UVA Basketball: Cavaliers outlast Miami, 86-83, in instant classic on Tony Bennett Day
• UVA Basketball: ‘Hoos get last punch, win slugfest with Miami, 86-83
• UVA Athletics honors Tony Bennett, who, predictably, made it about his guys

Player notes

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  Jacari White had 17 points (6-of-9 FG, 5-of-8 3FG) to lead six ‘Hoos in double figures. His three with 4:15 to go put Virginia up 76-75. The three at the 1:16 mark was pure balls – on a fast break, in another scramble situation.

• Sam Lewis had 15 points (6-of-8 FG, 1-of-1 3FG, 2-of-2 FT).
• Thijs de Ridder had 14 points (6-of-14 FG, 1-of-4 3FG, 1-of-3 FT) in 36 minutes; this was his eighth 30-minute game of the season.
• Johann Grunloh had 12 points (4-of-5 FG, 2-of-2 3FG, 2-of-2 FT), four rebounds and five blocked shots in 27 minutes. That’s two big nights in a row for the seven-footer, who had 11 points, five boards and four blocked shots in the win at Georgia Tech on Wednesday.
• Chance Mallory may be the MVP here: 12 points (2-of-3 FG, 1-of-1 3FG, 7-of-7 FT), six rebounds and six assists. He seems to have fixed the issue at the line: he’d been 6-of-15 at the stripe over a five-game stretch heading into the Ohio State game last Saturday. He’s 12-of-14 in his last three.
• Malik Thomas had 10 points, all in the second half (2-of-3 3FG, 4-of-4 FT in the second half.
• Ugonna Onyenso: quiet night, four points (2-of-4 FG) in 13 minutes.
• Dallin Hall: also a quiet night, two points and two assists, but … one of the assists, to Grunloh for a dunk, put Virginia up 78-77 with 2:36 to go, and the one bucket, a layup with 1:56 to go, got UVA back on top, 80-79.

Team stats

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• Virginia shot 70 percent (14-of-20 FG) in the second half, and was 5-of-8 from three in the second half, and 12-of-24 from three for the game.
• Final shooting for UVA: 29-of-50 (58.0 percent).
• Miami owned the boards: 18-of-22 on the defensive glass (81.8 percent), 12-of-31 on the offensive side (38.7 percent).
• Second-chance points: Miami 18-2 (!).
• Fast-break points: Virginia 20-12.
• Miami, 33.1 percent from three on the season coming in, was 9-of-18 from three today.
• Overall: 29-of-61 (47.5 percent).
• Free throws: Miami 16-of-17, Virginia 16-of-18. This works out to Advantage: Virginia, because Miami is #1 in the ACC in free-throw attempts per game in conference play. To negate that advantage: huge.

Box score

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Highlights

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