No. 2 Virginia locks down Clemson
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Virginia’s players were all smiles after the No. 2 Cavaliers’ 61-36 victory over No. 18 Clemson, but for reasons generally considered uncommon among college basketball players.
It was the Cavaliers’ smothering defense, which fueled a 22-2 run and limited the Tigers to 13 second-half points, that had them grinning.
“I think that was one of the best defensive halves I’ve been a part of,” fifth-year senior Devon Hall said. “That was fun. I’m not going to lie. That was fun.”
Virginia Coach Tony Bennett agreed, calling it “some of the best defense we’ve played.”
“I thought they were just so active with their hands,” Bennett said, “and everything was contested.”
The Tigers committed a season-high 19 turnovers and Virginia had 14 steals while limiting the Tigers to 31.9 percent shooting. Virginia came in leading the nation in scoring defense and allowed its fewest points of the season.
As Virginia went on its decisive run, Ty Jerome could see the frustration building in the Tigers.
“A ton of frustration,” he said. “They stopped running their offense.”
Hall scored 14 points, Kyle Guy had 12 and Virginia (191, 8-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) won its 11th in a row. The Cavs’ start in conference play is their best since the Ralph Sampson-led 1980-1981 team, which began 12-0.
Clemson led 23-16 before going scoreless in the final 6½ minutes of the first half and getting just six points in the first 14 minutes of the second half. Virginia’s decisive burst stretched its lead from 30-27 early in the second to 52-29 with 6:48 remaining.
“When we’re hitting on all cylinders, it’s really fun to play defense like that,” Guy said.
Gabe DeVoe scored 11 points, all in the first 12 minutes, and was the only player to score at least 10 points for the Tigers (16-4, 5-3).
Coach Brad Brownell saw his team fall victim to the same things a lot of teams encounter against Bennett’s signature pack-line defense.
“We really tried to do too many 1-on-1 things in the second half and just got away from being who we are,” he said.
Once Virginia started building its lead, the crowd became raucous, celebrating defensive stops as loudly as three-pointers.
“When they have a lead like that, you’re really in trouble,” Brownell said. “When they can lock into you, it’s hard to execute good offense, especially in this building because this building is a lot like Clemson football. We raise hell on third down.”
NO. 1 VILLANOVA 89, PROVIDENCE 69
PHILADELPHIA — No. 1 Villanova used a 22-2 run in the first half to cruise to their sixth consecutive victory with a rout of Providence. The Wildcats (19-1, 6-1 Big East) were led by Eric Paschall, who had 17 points. Omari Spellman scored 16 points and Jalen Brunson added 15 points. Rodney Bullock led the Friars (14-7, 5-3) with 16 points.
NO. 4 DUKE 84, WAKE FOREST 70
Carter and WINSTON-SALEM, Marvin No. Jr. 4 had Bagley Duke 23 beat points III had Wake N.C. and 16 12 Forest. — points rebounds, Wendell and 11 6-2 rebounds ACC), who for built the a Blue 20-point Devils lead (18-2, with their defense and kept Wake Forest at arm’s length the rest of the way. Doral Moore had 18 points and 12 rebounds before fouling out with 2:18 left for Wake Forest (8-12, 1-7), which has lost six in a row and eight of nine. Brandon Childress scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half.