Cavaliers Dominate Liberty, 77-58

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Dec 30, 2002

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) – Travis Watson had 20 points and 15 rebounds tolead Virginia to a 77-58 victory over Liberty on Monday.

Todd Billet, Devin Smith and Jermaine Harper each added 12 for the Cavaliers(8-2.)

Liberty (5-6), playing without leading scorer Vincent Okotie because ofinjury, was led by 15 from Ryan Mantlo. Jason Sarchet added 11.

Virginia led 37-18 at halftime and expanded that lead to 52-26 when KeithJenifer connected on a 3-pointer with 15:21 remaining. The Flames reduced thelead to 63-49 with 5:36 to play but could get no closer.

The Cavaliers held Liberty to just 29.6 percent shooting in the first halfwhile shooting 45.5 percent.

Watson started for the first time in two games since spraining his rightankle against Gardner-Webb on Dec. 19.

The win was Virginia’s 27th straight against non-conference, regular-seasonopponents at University Hall and improved UVa coach Pete Gillen to 14-0 againstin-state competition in his four plus seasons.