1-Seed Virginia Advances in NCAA Tournament with 71-56 win over 16-Seed Gardner-Webb
COLUMBIA, S.C. – 1-seed Virginia used a 23-3 run in the second half on its way to a 71-56 win over 16-seed Gardner-Webb on Friday afternoon at Colonial Life Arena.
Virginia outscored Gardner-Webb 41-20 in the second half, behind redshirt sophomore De’Andre Hunter’s (Philadelphia, Pa.) 17 points. Hunter finished with a game-high 23 points. Redshirt junior Mamadi Diakite (Conakry, Guinea, Africa) scored 17 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Junior Ty Jerome (New Rochelle, N.Y) added 13 points.
Virginia shot 52 percent from the field, while Gardner-Webb shot 44 percent. UVA outrebounded Gardner-Webb, 35-21, had a 32-24 edge in the paint and the UVA bench scored 24 points to nine for the Bulldogs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Virginia trailed by 14 with 6:32 to go in the first half but closed the gap with a 14-6 run to end the half down 36-30. The Cavaliers had their 23-3 run over an eight-minute span to begin the second half and take a 55-41 lead with 10:17 to play. UVA led by as many as 21 in the win.
THE GAME BALL GOES TO
De’Andre Hunter had a game-high 23 points, going 9-of-16 from the field, and added six rebounds and two blocks. Hunter scored 17 of his points in the second half to lead the comeback.
UP NEXT
Virginia will face 9-seed Oklahoma on Sunday, March 22 at the Colonial Life Arena.