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Cavaliers Turn Back Georgetown, 79-75
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Dec 28, 2002
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) – Travis Watson, hampered by a sprained rightankle, came off the bench to score 16 points, and fellow reserve Elton Brownadded 14 as Virginia held off a late Georgetown flurry for a 79-75 winSaturday.
Virginia improved to 7-2 with the victory as it handed Georgetown (7-1) itsfirst loss of the season.
Devin Smith had 14 for Virginia and Derrick Byars had 10.
Virginia opened a 68-55 lead with 5:55 remaining but the Hoyas respondedwith a 16-2 run over the next three and a half minutes to grab a 71-70 leadwith 3:36 left on a free throw by Wesley Wilson.
Brown then hit a turnaround jumper and Watson followed with a driving layupto give UVa a 74-71 advantage with 1:40.
The Hoyas cut it to 74-73 on a basket by Wilson but Virginia converted fiveof its final six attempts from the stripe to seal the victory.
In the first half, Brown and Byars sparked what started out as a sluggishVirginia offense. On their first eight possessions, the Cavaliers missed twoshots and committed six turnovers. But the team bounced back by making 12 ofits final 20 shots of the half, including a 5-for-7 performance from behind thearc.
The Hoyas did the reverse as they made 10 of their first 19 from the fieldbut finished the half making just four of their final 15.
Gerald Riley led the Hoyas with 19 while star forward Michael Sweetney,playing with a sore hamstring, had 11.