Virginia avoided what would have been a crushing defeat by coming up with one final defensive stop to preserve its 61-60 road win over North Carolina State.
After leading throughout the game, including by a 10-point margin with under seven minutes to go, the Cavaliers were clinging to a one-point edge when the Wolfpack called a timeout to run one final play with 7.8 seconds left.
The 'Pack got the ball to guard Lorenzo Brown, who started to move from left to right around the top of the key. Virginia's Akil Mitchell came off his man to force Brown to go just a little deeper than he had planned to.
As a result, Brown was forced to put up a somewhat rushed three-pointer from the right wing over Jontel Evans and Sammy Zeglinski.
When it missed at the buzzer, the Cavaliers had a key road win that improved them to 4-2 in the ACC with a home game coming up against Clemson. They are 17-3 overall.
"I thought Akil did a terrific job of taking Brown out of the play," coach Tony Bennett said. "We just played our ball-screen defense, and he was quick with his slide. He didn't let him turn the corner and let him get into our defense.
"We had to string it out wide as the clock was ticking, and then we made him take a tough shot. Fortunately, there wasn't too much time or they might have gotten a 19th offensive rebound."
NOTES, QUOTES
--Senior F Mike Scott scored 18 points in the win over North Carolina State, his 18th game in double figures this season and 69th in his career.
That gave him 1,297 points for his career and moved him past Cory Alexander (1,286) into 24th place on Virginia's all-time scoring list.
Scott also had five rebounds, giving him 844 for his career. That is good for fifth place in the school record book with fourth-place Bryant Stith just 15 away.
--At 17-3, Virginia was off to its best start since the 1982-83 season, when it went 27-3.
--Virginia has won four in a row in the series with N.C. State.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"It was a little bit of a role reversal. Our offense kept us in it the first half and gave us the lead where our defense let us down. In the second half, I thought our defense was better, not great, but better, and our offense struggled." -- Coach Tony Bennett, on the way Virginia's win over North Carolina State unfolded.
THIS WEEK'S GAMES
--vs. Clemson, Jan. 31
Clemson has a balanced attack (four players scored in double figures in the Tigers' win over Georgia Tech in their last outing). Seniors Andre Young and Tanner Smith are both three-point threats, and F Devin Booker Booker provides the muscle inside. The key may be if F Milton Jennings is on his game. If he is, the Tigers will present multiple problems for Virginia's defense.
--at Florida State, Feb. 4
The Seminoles already have come up with two stunning victories over North Carolina and at Duke that has them at the top of the ACC standings. G Michael Snaer has had an outstanding year and leads them in scoring. G Ian Miller has been a key addition since becoming eligible the second semester. If G Deividas Dulkys is on from three-point range as he was in the rout of the Tar Heels, the 'Noles will be especially tough.
FUTURES MARKET
Coach Tony Bennett has used the same three players off the bench -- G Paul Jesperson, G Malcolm Brogdon, and F Darion Atkins -- since the loss of C Assane Sene to an ankle injury moved sophomore Akil Mitchell into the starting lineup. Those three reserves combined for eight points and six rebounds in the loss to Virginia Tech, 12 points and 11 rebounds against Boston College, and 10 points and three rebounds against N.C. State.
PLAYER NOTES
--Senior G Sammy Zeglinski scored 12 points in the win over the Wolfpack to reach double figures for the 43rd time in his career. It was the eighth time he had done it this season. He also hit the 180th three-pointer of his career, moving him past John Crotty and into fifth place in the category in the school record book.
--Sophomore G Joe Harris reached double figures for the fourth time in five games with his 12 points against N.C. State.
