Sylven Landesberg scored 19 points and had two free throws and two
key assists in the final 2:36 on Wednesday night as Virginia ended
No. 24 UAB's 10-game winning streak with a 72-63 victory.
The Cavaliers (7-4) beat a ranked opponent for the first time
since they topped Clemson last February, giving first-year coach
Tony Bennett his biggest victory at Virginia.
The Blazers (11-2), who moved into the Top 25 this week for
the first time since the end of the 2006-07 season, got a
career-high 27 points and 11 rebounds from Elijah Millsap. UAB
missed 10 of 15 free throws and was outscored 22-13 over the final
10 minutes.
The Cavaliers trailed most of the game, but scored seven
straight points to tie it at 50 with 10:26 to play. Jerome
Meyinsse's short jumper started the run, and Jontel Evans hit a
3-pointer with the shot clock running down and then a driving
left-handed layup to tie it.
After Ovie Soko's basket gave the Blazers the lead back,
Mustapha Farrakhan hit his second 3-pointer and Sammy Zeglinski
added a four-point play with 7:17 remaining.
The Cavaliers never trailed again.
UAB got within 61-59 in the closing minutes, but Landesberg,
who had six rebounds and four assists, fed Mike Scott for an easy
basket, and then fed him again for a baby hook with 1:21 to play
after Howard Crawford had pulled the Blazers within two.
Landesberg's two free throws with 49.6 seconds left all but
finished it.
Scott and Farrakhan added 10 points each for the Cavaliers.
Crawford had 14 points for the Blazers.
The Cavaliers had no answer for the 6-foot-6 Millsap, who had
17 points and five rebounds in the first half. He already had eight
points inside when he made a 16-footer with 9:58 left in the first
half to make it 18-12. It was the Blazers' first basket from
outside the paint, and Millsap later added their only 3-pointer in
7 first-half tries.
The Blazers dominated inside and led most of the first half,
but each time they seemed poised to take command, Virginia rallied.
Two free throws by Landesberg and a dunk by Meyinsse pulled them
within 20-16 with 8:12 to play, and three points by Landesberg and
a steal and layup by Evans pulled them to 31-28 with 2:15 left. It
was 35-30 at halftime.
