Virginia Advances to Final Four
Celebration Video | Highlights | Postgame Notes | Boxscore
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Mamadi Diakite (Conakry, Guinea, Africa) hit a shot at the buzzer to send the game to overtime, as No. 1 seed Virginia (33-3) outscored No. 3 seed Purdue (26-10) 10-5 in the extra period to win 80-75 on Saturday evening at the KFC Yum! Center and advance to the NCAA Final Four in Minneapolis, Minn.
Four players finished in double figures for the Cavaliers. Kyle Guy (Indianapolis, Ind.) finished with his first career double-double, with a team-high 25 points and career-best 10 rebounds. Ty Jerome (New Rochelle, N.Y.) had 24 points and seven assists. Diakite added 14 points and redshirt sophomore De’Andre Hunter (Philadelphia, Pa.) had 10.
Virginia led Purdue in rebounds (39-31) and points in the paint (26-22). The Cavaliers shot 42 percent, while the Boilermakers shot 49 percent from the field and 44 percent from 3-point range. UVA was 17-of-20 from free throws, while Purdue was 7-for-10.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Purdue hit the first shot of the game and led by as many as 10 in the first half. UVA closed the first half on a 17-5 run, including two threes by Jerome, to trail 30-29 at the break. Guy hit back-to-back 3-pointers out of the half to give Virginia its first lead of the game. The Cavaliers stretched their lead to seven several times, but each time Carson Edwards, who finished with a game-high 42 points, answered. Purdue used a 7-0 run to lead 64-63 with 3:59 to play. Jerome was fouled and hit both free throws to put UVA in front. Purdue took a 70-67 lead with 16 second remaining. Jerome was fouled and hit the front end of a one-and-one before missing the second. Diakite grabbed the board, then freshman Kihei Clark (Woodland Hills, Calif.) found Diakite for a jumper that went in as the buzzer sounded. Purdue scored first in overtime. Jerome answered to tie it again. Purdue was leading 73-72 when Hunter converted two free throws. Edwards gave Purdue the lead with a jumper, but Hunter responded with a layup with 28 seconds to go. UVA was 4-for-4 on its free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
NOTES
• Virginia (33-3) advanced to its third NCAA Final Four (1981, 1984, 2019)
• UVA has amassed a school record with 33 wins and has won 30 or more games for the fourth time under three-time National Coach of the Year Tony Bennett and fifth time in school history.
• Tony and Dick Bennett joined John Thompson and John Thompson III as father/son combos to lead a team to the NCAA Final Four
• UVA set a school record nine ranked wins
• Diakite (4 blocks) moved into sixth on UVA’s single-season list with 56
• Diakite tied a career high with four blocked shots
• Guy moved into 28th on UVA’s all-time scoring list with 1,274 career points
• Jerome tallied his seventh career 20-point game
• Guy had his 15th career 20-point game
UP NEXT
Virginia will head to the NCAA Final Four in Minneapolis, Minn. The semifinal games will be played on Saturday, April 6.