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No. 16 Virginia Men's Hoops Sinks Ohio 90-71
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Dec. 6, 2000
By HANK KURZ Jr.
AP Sports Writer
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Travis Watson scored on ferocious dunks 61seconds apart early in the second half and Keith Friel put on a 3-pointshooting show as No. 16 Virginia beat Ohio 90-71 on Wednesday night.
The Cavaliers (6-0), off to their best start since the 1992-93 team won itsfirst 11, again dominated with defense, forcing 21 turnovers by the Bobcats(2-1) and turning them into 29 points at the other end.
Virginia, which entered the game forcing its opponents into an average of21.6 giveaways, forced six in the first four minutes.
Ohio, which won its only other visit to University Hall in the preseason NITin 1994, hung tough into the second half, but Watson’s two thunderous dunkswoke the crowd, and Friel whipped them into a frenzy.
The senior sharpshooter hit four times from behind the arc in a span of justmore than five minutes as Virginia turned a 45-39 game into a runaway. Friel’slast 3-pointer made it 67-45 with 10:30 remaining.
Friel finished with 16 points, his high in two seasons at Virginia sincetransferring from Notre Dame. He was 4-for-5 on 3s.
Watson, who also had 16 points, primed the crowd for the run by following amiss with a powerful left-handed dunk, giving the Cavaliers a 45-38 lead with17:14 left. He dunked again 1:01 later, and then Friel got going.
His first two 3s came in a run of nine straight points for Virginia, andafter the Bobcats broke their drought, Friel hit two more 34 seconds apart,pushing the Cavaliers’ lead to 67-45 and ending all suspense.
Anthony Jones led Ohio with 18 points and Steve Esterkamp had 17.
The Bobcats outscored Virginia 11-4 over a 3-minute stretch midway throughthe first half to pull even at 21, but the Cavaliers promptly ran off 10straight, with Donald Hand hitting back-to-back 3-pointers.
Ohio answered with five straight, but Hand hit his third 3-pointer in asmany tries and the Cavaliers took a 40-33 lead into the locker room.
Virginia finished 8-for-15 on 3-pointers, Ohio just 6-for-17.