The Virginia Cavaliers asserted their dominance over the Pittsburgh Panthers on Monday, cruising to a 67-47 victory at John Paul Jones Arena. Sam Lewis led the charge for Virginia, scoring 15 points to pace a balanced attack that saw three Cavaliers reach double figures. The win marked a strong performance for Virginia, who improved to 19-3 on the season and solidified their position as a top contender.
The game got off to a slow start for Pittsburgh, who managed just 20 points in the first half. Virginia, on the other hand, came out strong, scoring 33 points in the opening frame to take a 13-point lead into the break. The Cavaliers' defense was stifling, holding the Panthers to just 27% shooting from the field in the first half. Nojus Indrusaitis was one of the few bright spots for Pittsburgh, scoring 11 points and grabbing 7 rebounds to lead the Panthers' effort.
In the second half, Virginia continued to pull away, outscoring Pittsburgh 34-27 to seal the 20-point victory. Chance Mallory and Thijs De Ridder joined Lewis in double figures, scoring 11 and 10 points, respectively, while De Ridder also added 12 rebounds to his stat line. The Cavaliers' balanced attack and strong defense proved too much for the Panthers to handle, as they struggled to find any rhythm on either end of the court.
CHD Scout Report Card
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Final
The 20-point margin of victory exceeded the predicted margin of 11.7 points, as CHD Scout had forecasted a closer contest. However, the actual outcome was still in line with the prediction, as Virginia was expected to emerge victorious. The Cavaliers' strong performance will likely boost their resume, particularly given that this was a Quadrant 3 game for them. For Pittsburgh, the loss drops them to 9-14 on the season, and this Quadrant 1 game will be a tough one to swallow.
The win is a significant one for Virginia's tournament chances, as they continue to build a strong resume. With this Quadrant 3 victory, the Cavaliers have further solidified their position as a top team in the country. As the season enters its final stretch, Virginia want to continue their winning ways and make a deep run in the tournament. For now, they can take pride in a dominant performance that showed their depth and talent. The Cavaliers' 19-3 record is a reflection of their strength, and they want to keep rolling as they move forward.