Cavaliers' Late Rally Falls Short Against No. 22 Maryland

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) – Greivis Vasquez scored 23 points, and No. 22 Maryland made the most of a late technical foul on Virginia coach Tony Bennett to withstand a spirited comeback in a 74-68 victory over the Cavaliers on Saturday.

The Terrapins (23-7, 13-3 ACC) clinched at least a tie for the conference regular season title after the Cavaliers, playing without suspended scoring leader Sylven Landesberg, cut a 12-point deficit to one with under a minute remaining.

With his team trailing 66-65, Bennett was whistled for a technical after he peeled off his jacket in anger following a foul call. Vasquez made both free throws, and Sean Mosley hit two more – all with 38.6 seconds left – as the Terps held on.

Jerome Meyinsse led Virginia (14-15, 5-11) with 17 points in his final home game.

Jeff Jones hit four 3-pointers and scored 16 points, and Sammy Zeglinski had 14 as the Cavaliers made up for the absence of Landesberg, the sophomore star suspended for the rest of the season on Saturday for failing to meet his academic responsibilities.

They almost avoided their ninth straight loss without him.

Maryland led 53-41 after Adrian Bowie answered a 3-pointer by Jones with one of his own with 12:18 left, but the Cavaliers scored the next seven points, capped by Meyinsse’s dunk.

Dino Gregory’s free throw gave the Terps a 54-48 lead, but Jones and Vasquez traded 3-pointers before Jones hit another from deep, pulling Virginia to 57-54 with 5:50 remaining.

Hayes’ driving basket pushed Maryland’s lead back to five. After Meyinsse hit a pair of free throws, Vasquez hit the first of back-to-back 3-pointers, the first one answered by Will Sherrill for Virginia, giving the Terps a 65-59 lead, but Virginia kept coming.

Meyinsse scored on a baby hook with 3:09 left, and after Jordan Williams’ free throw for Maryland, Mustapha Farrakhan made a layup and then fed Sherrill for another after a Maryland turnover, pulling the Cavaliers to 66-65 and setting up the controversial finish.

Hayes added 11 points and Mosley 10 for Maryland.

Maryland led 21-9 after 8 1/2 minutes and had outrebounded the Cavaliers 14-1. Virginia finally found some rhythm offensively, pulling within 28-20, but a 10-4 run by the Terps allowed them to push their lead to 38-24 before Zeglinski closed the half with a 3-pointer.