Virginia's best opponent to date also brought out the best in the Cavaliers.
Mike Scott had 18 points and 11 rebounds Tuesday night and Virginia used a 19-2 run in the second half to take command and beat No. 14 Michigan 70-58 in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge.
The Cavaliers limited Michigan to 44 percent shooting, won the rebounding battle 36-26 and didn't get careless with the ball as they had in previous games. They had eight turnovers, two after halftime.
''When we play really hard on defense and get stops, that makes our offense run, that makes our offense go,'' freshman guard Malcolm Brogdon said after scoring 13 of his 16 points in the decisive second half. ''I think we were able to get into a rhythm offensively because of our defense.''
Joe Harris added 18 points as the Cavaliers (6-1) went from trailing 39-34 to leading 53-41 with 6:43 remaining. Harris' floater sparked the burst. Brogdon scored eight points during the run, and Scott had six.
Scott hit back-to-back baskets to break a 41-all tie as the Cavaliers held Michigan scoreless for 6-1/2 minutes, running off 15 consecutive points.
After a first half in which open shot after open shot was off the mark, the burst felt good.
''I think we just settled down and gained some poise, especially myself in the post when I realized they were double-teaming me,'' Scott said. ''I was able to get it out and get the ball to the shooters.''
The Wolverines (5-2), who used a 16-10 run starting the second half to match their biggest lead of the game, repeatedly had only one shot on possessions as Virginia crashed the boards.
The key, Wolverines coach John Beilein said, was how the Cavaliers played defense.
''It's always going to be good as long as that man is coaching this team,'' Beilein said, referring to Virginia coach Tony Bennett. ''I'm not crazy with scoring 58 points, but not a lot of teams may score 58 against them.''
The Wolverines' total was the most the Cavaliers have allowed this season.
Zack Novak led the Wolverines with 12 points, and Trey Burke had 11.
Tim Hardaway Jr., Michigan's leading scorer with a 17-point average, missed the last 14 minutes of the first half after picking up his second personal foul and scored just five.
The game remained close early in the second half and was tied at 41 when Evan Smotrycz, who scored 10 for Michigan and was 4 for 4 from the field, went to the bench with his fourth foul. That coincided with the end of a rest for Scott, and he went to work immediately.
''You have to account for Mike,'' Bennett said of Scott, who had three assists.
He first posted up against Hardaway, then rebounded a miss and scored on a short baseline jumper, giving Virginia a 45-41 lead with 9:05 to play. With the ball often working through Scott, Brogdon added a 3-pointer, Scott hit an 8-foot fadeaway and Harris had a 3-pointer to make it 53-41.
Hardaway's 8-footer and a 3-pointer from Stu Douglass made it 53-46, but Brogdon answered with a 3-pointer from the right side and Harris' 3 after another Wolverines miss made it 59-46.
From before the run began until Brogdon's free throw made it 60-49, Brogdon (12), Harris (10) and Scott (six) combined for all 28 of Virginia's points over a stretch of 11 minutes.
The Cavaliers played stout defense in the first half, holding Michigan to 40 percent shooting, but missed numerous wide-open 3-point shots, finishing 3 for 10 on 3s.
A 10-4 run to end the half gave Virginia a 24-23 lead at the break.
