No. 1 Virginia cruises past Pitt, secures outright ACC title

Feb. 24, 2018

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PITTSBURGH (AP) No. 1 Virginia allowed just seven points in the first half and secured the regular-season Atlantic Coast Conference title outright with a 66-37 win over Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Freshman guard De’Andre Hunter came off the bench to lead the Cavaliers with 14 points in a game that didn’t take big offensive efforts from Virginia’s regulars. Of the five starters, only guard Ty Jerome exceeded his season average with 13 points.

The game was never competitive, as Virginia started on an 8-0 run and Pitt didn’t make a field goal until Jared Wilson-Frame hit a 3-pointer at the midway point of the first half.

Virginia coach Tony Bennett rested most of his regulars in the second half. Reserve Nigel Johnson added 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting.

Parker Stewart led Pitt with 12 points, all on 3-pointers. Pitt had next to no presence inside. The Panthers were outscored 28-8 in the paint and out-rebounded 36-24. Seven of Pitt’s 11 made field goals were from beyond the arc.

BIG PICTURE

Virginia: The Cavaliers got a big scare when leading scorer Kyle Guy left the game and headed to the locker room about three minutes into the second half. Guy returned to the bench but did not re-enter the game. He finished with three points in 19 minutes.

Pitt: The first-half performance was historically bad in several ways. Pitt’s 4.5 percent shooting from the floor was the lowest field-goal percentage in a half for the team, breaking the mark of 12.5 percent set against Rutgers in 2012. It was Pitt’s fewest points scored in a half since 1952.

UP NEXT

Virginia: Will visit Louisville on Thursday. The Cavaliers have beaten the Cardinals in five straight meetings.

Pittsburgh: Finishes its season at Notre Dame on Wednesday. Pitt has already been assured of finishing in last place in the ACC.

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