Virginia Concludes Non-Conference Play With 63-58 Win Over American
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Elijah Saunders’ career-high 21 points led Virginia (7-5, 0-0 ACC) past American (6-6, 0-0 Patriot League), 63-58, in the Cavaliers’ non-conference finale on Sunday afternoon (Dec. 22) at John Paul Jones Arena.
Saunders finished 7-of-9 from the field and 7-of-8 from the line while tacking on a career-high tying eight rebounds. Taine Murray’s 13 points (4-6 FG, three 3FG) marked the first time in his career logging back-to-back games with double figure scoring. Isaac McKneely (11 points, three 3FG) rounded out the double figure scorers for the Hoos, who shot 46 percent in the contest.
Virginia held American to 19-of-50 from the field (38 percent).
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Cavaliers led 32-28 at the break after a first half that saw five lead changes. American grabbed an initial 6-2 lead while Virginia worked to find its offensive footing, but back-to-back 3-pointers by McKneely and Murray quickly turned the tide in favor of the Hoos. Four lead changes over the next seven minutes gave way to an 11-3 Virginia scoring run and an eventual seven-point advantage. The Eagles managed to cut their deficit to just two multiple times late in the half, but ultimately a Saunders jumper sent the Cavaliers into intermission up by four. Saunders led all scorers in the first half with 10 points off 4-of-5 shooting and pulled down a leading four rebounds.
The second half began with the two sides trading triples, three coming from American’s graduate guard Colin Smalls over just a two-minute span. Four scoreless minutes for the Cavaliers allowed the Eagles to reclaim a four-point lead [41-37] before an Andrew Rohde 3-pointer and a physical Saunders driving layup put the Hoos back on top. The back-and-forth sequence continued as the Eagles gained the lead twice more and made it a one-possession game heading into the final minute of play. Five makes at the line for Saunders within the final 25 seconds put the Cavaliers up five [61-56] before Murray concluded the contest with a pair of free throws with under a second remaining.
UP NEXT
Virginia returns to ACC action against NC State on Tuesday, Dec. 31. Tipoff at John Paul Jones Arena is set for Noon on ESPN2.