Cavaliers elude upset attempt by Cardinals
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Armaan Franklin and Kihei Clark each scored 14 points and No. 7 Virginia endured a stern challenge from struggling Louisville and its own poor free-throw shooting to win its third straight game, 61-58 on Wednesday night.
The Cavaliers (20-4, 12-3 ACC) led 58-50 with 3:47 remaining, but didn’t make a basket after Clark found Jayden Gardner for a layup with 3:06 left that made it 60-52. Virginia also missed five free throws in the final six minutes to give the ACC-worst Cardinals (3-23, 1-14) a chance. JJ Traynor’s jumper with 31 seconds left got Louisville within three, and Clark missed the front end of a 1-and-1.
But the Cardinals bled valuable time off the clock during their final possession while trying to get free for an open 3-pointer, and Kamari Lands’ off-balance 3 barely hit the rim with 3 seconds left. Ben Vander Plas got the rebound and Virginia escaped with its sixth consecutive win over the Cardinals while moving into a first-place tie with Pittsburgh in the ACC.
“Always nice to get a win, especially on the road,” Vander Plas said. “It’s always hard to win on the road. So, that was our No. 1 goal and we accomplished that.”
Clark set a record by playing in his 71st ACC victory, breaking the mark of 70 set by Duke’s Shane Battier. He also tied London Perrantes as Virginia’s career leader in games started at 132.
El Ellis had 21 points for Louisville, which has lost four straight since its lone ACC victory.
Clark shot 5 of 11 overall and made three baskets during a critical stretch after Louisville tied the game at 44. The fifth-year guard scored eight points during an 11-1 run that included Vander Plas’ 3 for a 55-45 cushion that Virginia ended up needing to offset those missed free throws.
Gardner and Vander Plas each scored 10 points for Virginia, which shot 57% after halftime and 44% overall.
The Cardinals and Cavaliers began by shooting a combined 10 for 31, but Ellis found comfort on the perimeter as Louisville led by as many as nine points.
Virginia trailed 26-17 with 5:18 left in the first half before outscoring Louisville 20-4 over the next 20 minutes. Despite taking a 10-point lead late in the game, the Cavaliers had to hang on in the final seconds.
The teams will meet again on March 4 in Charlottesville.