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Nov. 18, 2003

Box Score

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Guard Todd Billet (Middletown, N.J.) hit a long three-pointer at the final buzzer to lift the University of Virginia men’s basketball team to a 91-90 exhibition win over the Coaches vs. Cancer All-Stars Tuesday night (November 18) at University Hall. The exhibition game marked the Cavaliers’ final preseason tune-up as UVa opens the 2003-2004 regular season Sunday night (November 23) against Mount St. Mary’s College at University Hall. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

The Cavaliers let a 17-point second half lead slip away, but Billet’s heroics helped Virginia end its exhibition season with a victory. UVa led 72-55 with 13:04 to play, but the Coaches vs. Cancer All-Stars outscored UVa 31-12 to take an 86-84 lead with 55 seconds to left. Forward Elton Brown (Newport News, Va.) tied the game at 86-86 with a bucket inside the paint with 40 seconds left. However, the visitor’s Dominic Smith answered with his third consecutive long three-pointer to put the All-Stars on top 89-86. Billet answered with a basket with 19 ticks left to trim the deficit to one, but missed a free throw that would have tied the game. After two missed free throws by the All-Stars’ Harold Arcenaux, the All-Star’s Rassan Johnson made one of two foul shots to make the score 90-88. Billet then supplied the heroics with a long three-pointer as time expired.

Forward Derrick Byars (Memphis, Tenn.) led the Cavaliers with 21 points and eight rebounds. He made 9-12 attempts from the filed, including a 3-4 effort from three-point range. Brown registered a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while forward Donte Minter (Salisbury, N.C.) added 18 points and eight rebounds. Billet tallied 14 points with forward Gary Forbes (Brooklyn, N.Y.) rounding out the Cavaliers’ double-digit scorers with 11 points.

Chris Crosby led the Coaches vs. Cancer All-Stars with 18 points, while Arcenaux totaled 17 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Smith had 16 points with Tony Robertson and D.J. Harrison both contributing 12.

UVa shot 53.1 percent (34-64) from the field in the game, including 70 percent (21-30) in the first half. The Cavaliers also held a 47-24 advantage in rebounds.

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