Cavaliers Roll to 68-44 Win Over Wake Forest

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CHARLOTTESVILLE-Senior forward Mike Scott made all nine of his field goal attempts and scored a game-high 19 points to lead the Virginia men’s basketball team to a 68-44 Atlantic Coast Conference victory over Wake Forest Wednesday night (Feb. 8) at John Paul Jones Arena.

Scott’s 9-9 performance from the field tied the Virginia record for best perfect game shooting from the field which was established by Jeff Jones against UAB on March 18, 1982 and matched by Kenny Turner against Samford on Nov. 28, 1989.

The victory improved Virginia’s overall record to 19-4 and the Cavaliers are now 6-3 in the ACC. The win also ended a six-game UVa losing streak to Wake Forest.

Virginia is ranked 19th in this week’s Associated Press poll and 20th in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll.

The loss was the fifth in a row for the Demon Deacons and dropped Wake Forest’s overall record to 11-13. The Demon Deacons are now 2-8 in the ACC.

Sophomore guard Joe Harris scored 11 points for Virginia and freshman guard Malcolm Brogdon, junior guard Jontel Evans and sophomore forward Akil Mitchell each scored 10 points for the Cavaliers. It’s the first time this season UVa had five players score in double figures.

Mitchell also had six rebounds and Scott had five for UVa.

Sophomore forward Travis McKie led Wake Forest with 16 points and six rebounds, and junior guard C.J. Harris scored 10 points.

Virginia took control of the game at the end of the first half. Leading 28-19 with 3:20 left until halftime, the Cavaliers out-scored Wake Forest 12-0 the rest of the half to take a 40-19 lead at the break. Scott scored five points in the Virginia run.

UVa then opened the second half on a 14-2 run to build a 54-21 lead with 15:33 left in the game. Scott and Mitchell each scored four points for the Cavaliers in that run.

Wake Forest got no closer than the final 24-point margin the rest of the game.

It marked the 10th time this season Virginia has held an opponent under 50 points in a game.

UVa shot 53.7 percent (29-54) from the field for the game, including 45.5 percent (5-11) from three-point range, and 62.5 percent (5-8) from the free-throw line. The Cavaliers shot 70.8 percent (17-24) from the field in the first half.

Wake Forest shot 34.1 percent (14-41) from the field, including 30.8 percent (4-13) from three-point range, and 70.6 percent (12-17) from the free-throw line.

Virginia out-rebounded Wake Forest 31-26. The Cavaliers turned the ball over nine times compared to 17 turnovers by the Demon Deacons.

UVa returns to action on Saturday (Feb. 11) when the Cavaliers play at North Carolina. That game is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.