Virginia led by as many as 12 points, twice, but Jamie Luckie and Co. made it interesting, because that’s what Jamie Luckie and Co. will do, when given the chance.
Seriously, that was embarrassing for the ACC, which pays Luckie and the other clowns in stripes working the game tonight, but even playing 5-on-8, UVA walked out of Tallahassee with a tougher-than-it-needed-to-be 80-76 win over Florida State on Saturday night.
Twenty-three. That was the number of personal fouls called on the ‘Hoos (19-5, 10-3 ACC), who were averaging 13.4 fouls against per game, ranking sixth-lowest in the nation, coming in.
Sure, in one night, all the sudden, they’re foul-happy.
It happens.
(Sarcasm.)
The last 12-point lead for UVA came at the 3:53 mark with a layup from Blake Buchanan that made the score 69-57.
It was still at seven after a pair of Andrew Rohde free throws with 42 seconds left, but FSU (13-10, 7-5 ACC) would get it down to two, after a pair of Jamir Watkins free throws, and an and-one from De’Ante Green, on the touchiest of touch fouls, with 12 seconds left.
A pair of Isaac McKneely free throws with eight seconds left seemed to ice it, but the final in the run of absolutely ridiculous calls, this one on Ryan Dunn, put ‘Noles sophomore Tom House on the free-throw line for three shots with four seconds left, with a chance to get the margin down to one.
House made the first, missed the second, then tried to miss the third to give his team a chance at a rebound and a final shot.
McKneely came down with the board, and made 1-of-2 at the line with three seconds left to seal the deal.
Virginia shot a blistering 58.3 percent in the second half, made 6-of-8 from three, and finished the night 10-of-18 (55.6 percent) from long-range, with iMac scoring a career-high 29 points, on 8-of-12 shooting, 5-of-7 from three, to lead the way.
Reece Beekman also had himself a night – 21 points and five assists.
Jake Groves had 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting, 2-of-2 from three, in 22 minutes off the bench.
Florida State got 21 points from Watkins – who was 11-of-12 at the line, so, asterisk on that night for the VCU transfer.
The win is the eighth in a row for Virginia, which remains a game behind North Carolina, and a half-game ahead of Duke, in the ACC standings.
Those two schools are ranked in the Top 10; Virginia isn’t in the Top 25.
Doesn’t matter. Just keep chasing quality basketball.
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Chris Graham
