Home Virginia stifles Texas Southern, holding Tigers to 26.1 percent shooting in 62-33 win
Sports News

Virginia stifles Texas Southern, holding Tigers to 26.1 percent shooting in 62-33 win

Chris Graham
uva basketball
Photo: UVA Athletics

Virginia forced 20 Texas Southern turnovers, on 59 possessions, so that’s even more than you thought when you first read it.

The Cavaliers blocked 10 shots, had 13 steals, limited TSU to 26.1 percent shooting.

The D looked to be in late-season form in the 62-33 win on Thursday night in JPJ.

The offense was a little ragged. Virginia (4-0) shot 40.9 percent in the first half to lead 26-14, then had a run of turnovers in a stretch of the second half that allowed Texas Southern (0-3) to hang around.

A PJ Henry three at the 14:43 mark made the score 38-25 Virginia, so, TSU was still hanging around.

That would be the last bucket for the Tigers for an 8:07 stretch.

UVA built a 52-25 lead over that stretch.

Virginia had to make a go of it without starting guard Isaac McKneely, who was on the bench in street clothes and a walking boot after injuring an ankle in the 80-51 win over North Carolina A&T on Monday.

Dante Harris started in his place, and had a quiet six points, four rebounds and two assists in 27 minutes.

Virginia had one scorer get to double-digits – Ryan Dunn, who was sublime with his 15 points, which included a three and a poster dunk and-one, along with a stat-stuffing five rebounds, four blocks and three steals.

Reece Beekman was just average on offense – eight points on 4-of-11 shooting and four assists.

On defense, Beekman had three blocks and four steals.

Next up for Virginia: a trip to South Florida for the Fort Myers Tip-Off, with Wisconsin (1-2, the losses, both by double-digits, to Tennessee and Providence) the opponent on Monday.

The second game, on Wednesday, would be against either SMU (3-1, with a 79-66 loss to Texas A&M on Tuesday) or West Virginia (2-1, the loss coming to Monmouth, at home, last week).

 

Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham, the king of "fringe media," a zero-time Virginia Sportswriter of the Year, and a member of zero Halls of Fame, is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, or subscribe to his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].