Last-Second Shot Does In Virginia Against Stanford, 76-75

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Jan. 7, 2007

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) – Lawrence Hill made a driving floater with nine-tenths of a second to play Sunday night, producing the 14th lead change in a game that was close throughout and giving Stanford a 76-75 victory against Virginia.

The Cardinal (9-4) trailed 75-74 after Virginia’s J.R. Reynolds made one of two free throws with 9.4 seconds left. But they inbounded the ball, got it to Hill in the corner and he drove, making a short jumper that sat on the front of the rim and fell.

The loss was the first in nine games for Virginia (9-4) in its new John Paul Jones Arena, and came in spite of another dazzling effort by the Cavaliers’ Sean Singletary, who scored 24 points after averaging 35 in blowouts against American and Gonzaga.

Robin Lopez led Stanford with 15 points, Hill had 13 and Brook Lopez, the 7-foot twin of Robin, had 12. Anthony Goods and Fred Washington each had 11 for the Cardinal.

Reynolds added 14 – all in the last 12:03 – and Adrian Joseph had 12 for Virginia, which didn’t make a field goal in the foul-plagued final 3:28.

The game featured 49 personal fouls – 26 against Stanford – and 53 free throws.

Reynolds hit a pair of free throws with 1:17 left to give Virginia a 74-72 lead, and the Cardinal called time with 55 seconds to play and 14 seconds on the shot clock.

When they got it in, Hill rushed a jumper with the shot clock running down. It missed, but Robin Lopez was right in front of the basket and tied it with a tip-in.

Virginia took its biggest lead at 63-59 after four straight free throws by Reynolds, but the Cardinal came back to lead 67-66 on a pair of free throws by Hill with 5:17 left, and neither team led by more than three the rest of the way.

The Cavaliers had no answer for the Lopez twins, who repeatedly scored with ease over much smaller defenders in the low post. Brook Lopez made 6 of 10 shots before fouling out with 6:58 to play, and his brother also was 6-for-10 from the field.

The Cavaliers trailed most of the way, taking their first lead since very early on Singletary’s 3-pointer that made it 45-44 with 14:41 to play. Virginia went ahead again at 55-54 on Jamil Tucker’s 3-pointer with 10:30 left, but the game stayed close.

Stanford led 33-31 after a first half that was close all the way.

The Cavaliers had to feel somewhat encouraged because Singletary and Reynolds, their top two scorers, had combined for one field goal and nine points in the half.