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Virginia Falls At No. 9 Arizona, 81-51
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Nov. 27, 2005
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) – Chris Rodgers matched his season high with 20 points, scoring 15 in the second half while No. 9 Arizona ran away from Virginia for an 81-51 victory Sunday night.
Hassan Adams and Mustafa Shakur scored 14 each. Adams, who also had nine rebounds, had 12 points during a 29-1 run that began late in the first half and blew open a tight game.
The Wildcats went into their home opener in a two-game skid, losing to Connecticut and Michigan State in the Maui Invitational after an opening win over Kansas. They also were intent on avenging a 78-60 loss at Virginia last season, their worst offensive effort since scoring 60 in a loss at Michigan State on Dec. 15, 2001.
Sean Singletary had a season-high 24 points and Adrian Joseph had 12, but it wasn’t enough to help the Cavaliers (2-1) win their first three for a sixth consecutive year.
J.R. Reynolds, Virginia’s top scorer, went 3-for-14 and missed one of two free throws – part of the reason Arizona reversed the outcome on the Cavaliers, who hadn’t allowed more than 44 points in a game coming in.
Adams, who was 2-for-10 at halftime, made his first five field-goal attempts in the second half.
The last one opened a 49-29 lead with 14:20 remaining.
Rodgers capped the run – which included a 20-1 start to the second half – with a 15-foot jumper 1:05 later. Joseph broke an 0-for-10 spell by the Cavaliers to start the half with a basket with 12:28 left in the game, and Singletary added a jumper and two free throws to get Virginia within 51-35 with 11:11 left.
But Shakur had nine points in a 5:25 span, opening a 71-41 lead with a 3-pointer with 4:17 left, and both coaches sent in the reserves.
Arizona’s bench contributed early after the Wildcats went 1-for-12 midway through the first half. J.P. Prince opened a 20-13 lead – the biggest of the first half – when he stole a pass and laid it in with 9:01 left in the first.
The Cavaliers responded with a 15-2 run capped by 10 straight points by Singletary, who made a jumper in the lane to tie it at 20 with 5:32 to go and followed with a driving layup and two 3-pointers. The second sent Virginia to a 28-22 lead with 3:10 remaining.
But the Cavaliers had two turnovers in the next 56 seconds, and Arizona finished with a 9-0 surge to take a 31-28 halftime lead.