Men’s basketball wins Continental Tire Main Event, downs No. 19 Illinois 70-61

After each beating top-10 groups Friday night time, No. 16 Virginia and No. 19 Illinois squared off Sunday afternoon within the championship sport of the Continental Tire Major Occasion in Las Vegas, Nev. with the Cavaliers (4-0, 0-0 ACC) rising victorious 70-61 because of a late-game surge. The win for Virginia caps off an emotional week for the staff and the College after three soccer gamers — junior extensive receiver Lavel Davis Jr., junior linebacker D’Sean Perry and junior extensive receiver Devin Chandler — had been fatally shot the night time of Nov. 13.

“When you may have a momentary celebration like this it allows you to get pleasure from it,” Coach Tony Bennett stated. “It appears to matter, however within the huge image it doesn’t. What issues are the issues which have been introduced entrance and heart.”

Each groups got here into the sport off of explosive capturing performances of their Friday night time victories. The Cavaliers had been led previous No. 5 Baylor by senior guard Armaan Franklin’s 26-point efficiency on 7-12 capturing whereas the Combating Illini (4-1, 0-0 Large 10) noticed senior guard Terrence Shannon Jr. shoot 8-9 from three-point vary en path to a 29-point efficiency.

The sport began rapidly, with each groups settling in to the opposite’s enjoying fashion. Graduate pupil guard Kihei Clark scored the primary seven factors for Virginia, hitting a 3 and two athletic layups.

With 5 minutes gone within the first half, the Cavaliers led 10-7 over the Combating Illini. The dimensions of Illinois’ gamers, with 4 of their beginning lineup at 6-foot-6 or taller, appeared to not be an excessive amount of of an issue for Virginia early.

The Cavalier protection held Illinois to 4-14 capturing with 11:37 left within the first half. Nevertheless, a three-point shot from sophomore guard RJ Melendez gave Illinois a 12-11 lead. The shot ignited the Illinois crowd, who traveled en masse regardless of the sport being performed at a impartial web site in Las Vegas.

It appeared like each time both staff gained any ounce of momentum, the opposite staff rotated and fought proper again. After Clark hit a three-pointer to make it 16-14 Virginia, Illinois freshman guard Jayden Epps drove to the basket to tie the sport. 

Each offenses picked up in the direction of the tip of the primary half. Illinois made a number of key passing performs and cuts that energized their followers, but the Cavaliers responded effectively. Graduate pupil ahead Jayden Gardner and Clark each drew and-one driving layups to maintain the sport extraordinarily tight.

Shannon Jr. got here out of his shell in the direction of the tip of the half, hitting an arcing three-pointer on offense for Illinois, then taking a cost proper after from junior guard Reece Beekman.

On the half, Illinois had a two-point edge over Virginia with a rating of 31-29. Each Epps and Melendez led the Combating Illini with eight factors whereas Clark had 10 for Virginia and Gardner added seven. Each defenses had been pivotal within the first half as Illinois held Virginia to 37 p.c capturing however solely shot 40 p.c from the sphere themselves. The distinction maker within the second half appeared like it will be who might make clutch photographs and management the tempo of play.

Virginia began the second half with a fast 6-0 run. It was capped off by a steal by Beekman which ultimately led to a junior ahead Kadin Shedrick dunk in transition to make the rating 35-31 in favor of the Cavaliers. Shedrick scored seven of Virginia’s first 9 factors to begin the second half.

The Illinois offense’s ball motion started to confuse Virginia, as on back-to-back possessions gamers had been left extensive open for the Combating Illini. Simply as Illinois tied the sport, Beekman nailed a three-pointer to take again the lead for the Cavaliers and make it 41-38, however the offenses remained sluggish.

Nevertheless, each groups picked the offense up with underneath 10 minutes to go within the sport. Franklin responded to a Combating Illini layup with a troublesome layup and long-range two pointer, however Epps fired again to maintain Illinois inside three factors.

With six minutes remaining, each possession felt pivotal for each Illinois and Virginia and the 2 groups appeared like they had been enjoying in late March, not late November. Trailing by three popping out of a media timeout, Illinois sophomore ahead Dain Dainja fought for 2 key offensive rebounds to maintain the possession alive, which finally noticed Epps drain a 3 to tie the sport at 53.

After Illinois took the lead at 58-56 with 3:42 left, the Combating Illini wouldn’t rating till 11 seconds remaining.

The Virginia protection shut down the Illinois offense whereas happening a 13-0 run themselves. The important thing for the Cavaliers was forcing tough photographs for the Combating Illini down the stretch whereas making a number of free throws. For the sport, Illinois shot 4-9 from the free throw line whereas Virginia shot a whopping 25-32, making an attempt 23 extra free throws than the Combating Illini. 

Highlights from the 13-0 run included a Beekman drive to the basket after a missed Illinois three-pointer as he scored via contact by Shannon Jr. to make it 62-58. Moreover, Franklin took a cost with underneath a minute remaining to primarily seal the sport.

It felt like a classic, defensively managed Bennett win and showcased the duality of this Virginia staff. Whereas capturing simply 5-17 from three after capturing lights out in earlier video games, the protection flexed its muscle tissues on Sunday and demonstrated simply what number of alternative ways this Virginia staff can win.

Clark and Gardner each tallied 12 factors whereas Franklin led the Cavaliers with 17 factors. Vander Plas was additionally key for the Cavaliers on the boards as he grabbed 10 rebounds.

For Illinois, Epps scored 14 factors whereas junior ahead Coleman Hawkins added 10. Whereas the field rating doesn’t counsel a lot of a capturing distinction between the 2 groups, Virginia was capable of lock up defensively when it mattered most with a couple of minutes left within the sport because the Cavaliers compelled 4 missed photographs and three turnovers by Illinois.

Beekman was named the match MVP after his 10 level, 10 help double-double towards Baylor and a 17 level, 4 rebound sport towards Illinois.

The Cavaliers return residence and can face Maryland Japanese Shore on Friday at 6 p.m. The sport shall be broadcast on the ACC Community in addition to Virginia Sports activities Radio Community.