Men's Basketball Bounces Brown Out Of NIT, 89-73

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March 19, 2003

Box Score | Video Highlights and Postgame Comments

By HANK KURZ Jr.
AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Travis Watson had 29 points and 12 rebounds andVirginia ended a 13-game postseason losing streak dating to 1995 Wednesdaynight, beating Brown 89-73 in the first round of the NIT.

The Cavaliers (16-15), who last week lost in the first round of the ACCtournament for the eighth straight year, struggled to put the Bears away beforeusing a 21-7 run to open a 77-63 lead with 5:26 remaining.

Brown (17-12), making its first appearance in the National InvitationTournament and its first postseason appearance since the 1986 NCAA tournament,never got the deficit into single digits again.

The victory was the first for the Cavaliers in the postseason since the 1995team reached the NCAA tournament quarterfinals. It was the first for fifth-yearVirginia head coach Pete Gillen in four postseason tries.

Watson, whose every game at University Hall could be his last, assisted ontwo of the Cavaliers’ first five baskets and scored two of the others. In thebig second-half run, started after Brown closed to 47-46, Watson scored sevenpoints, then added a 3-pointer a short time later.

He finished 11-for-16 from the field and blocked three shots. Devin Smithadded 14 points and Nick Vander Laan had 13 and nine rebounds.

Patrick Powers led Brown with 18 points and Jason Forte had 14.

Virginia seemed primed for a blowout early, scoring 18 of the first 24points. But then the Cavaliers got sloppy and the Bears started making shotsand driving effectively through the middle of Virginia’s defense.

By halftime, the Bears had 22 points in the paint, the Cavaliers 26.