Virginia 70, Michigan 58
Virginia got a terrific win over Michigan in Charlottesville on Tuesday night. The game started slow and it looked as if my prediction would come true -- that neither team would make it into the 60s. Michigan held the lead for most of the first half but UVa went into halftime with a slight 24-23 advantage.
UVa really turned it on in the second half though. Down 39-34, Virginia went on a 19-2 run to grab control of the game and the Cavaliers never relinquished it. They scored 46 points in the second half, a remarkable surge for a team that has been offensively challenged under Tony Bennett. Mike Scott recorded the 27th double-double of his career with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Joe Harris also had 18 points and chipped in seven rebounds. Freshman Malcolm Brogdon tallied a career-high 16 points. Harris, Brogdon, and Sammy Zeglinski all made three 3-pointers. The team was great from the free-throw line once again as it made 17 of 22 from the charity stripe. UVa's only had one bad night at the line -- the loss to TCU.
Scott was an absolute beast, especially in the second half. His 27 career double-doubles is 4th in UVa history. I'm really liking what Brogdon is bringing to the table. He is a true freshman but he acts more mature and seems to have a good feel for the game and basketball IQ. I'm still hoping for KT Harrell to get going. It seems like he is either hot or cold. Brogdon is stealing his minutes but I hope Harrell can play well, too, because then we are that much better and Brogdon can play less minutes if he gets tired.
The defense was solid once again and held Michigan under 50 points for most of the game. Virginia's held every opponent to under 60 points this season. Tim Hardaway Jr., Michigan's leading scorer at just over 17 points per game and the son of former NBA great Tim Hardaway, was held to just five points on 2 of 9 shooting.
This win can mean a lot if Virginia is on the bubble come March, especially if Michigan can keep it going and be a good team. That would help boost Virginia's RPI. Of course, the Cavaliers got a win over No. 15 Minnesota on the road last year in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and then couldn't follow that up with similar performances the rest of the year (and Minnesota ended up being a disappointment as well). Hopefully, this season will be different.
UVa plays Longwood next Saturday at 1 p.m. and the game will be televised on Raycom Sports Network.
Virginia got a terrific win over Michigan in Charlottesville on Tuesday night. The game started slow and it looked as if my prediction would come true -- that neither team would make it into the 60s. Michigan held the lead for most of the first half but UVa went into halftime with a slight 24-23 advantage.
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| Virginia forward Mike Scott virginiasports.com |
Scott was an absolute beast, especially in the second half. His 27 career double-doubles is 4th in UVa history. I'm really liking what Brogdon is bringing to the table. He is a true freshman but he acts more mature and seems to have a good feel for the game and basketball IQ. I'm still hoping for KT Harrell to get going. It seems like he is either hot or cold. Brogdon is stealing his minutes but I hope Harrell can play well, too, because then we are that much better and Brogdon can play less minutes if he gets tired.
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| Virginia guard Joe Harris virginiasports.com |
This win can mean a lot if Virginia is on the bubble come March, especially if Michigan can keep it going and be a good team. That would help boost Virginia's RPI. Of course, the Cavaliers got a win over No. 15 Minnesota on the road last year in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and then couldn't follow that up with similar performances the rest of the year (and Minnesota ended up being a disappointment as well). Hopefully, this season will be different.
UVa plays Longwood next Saturday at 1 p.m. and the game will be televised on Raycom Sports Network.
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