Virginia outlasts Campbell to give interim head coach Ron Sanchez a victory in his debut
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) Freshman Jacob Cofie had 16 points, Elijah Saunders scored nine of his 11 points in the second half and Virginia outlasted Campbell 65-56 on Wednesday night to begin the Ron Sanchez era.
Sanchez was named interim head coach on Oct. 18 after three-time national coach of the year Tony Bennett retired. Sanchez spent 10 seasons on Bennett’s staff at Virginia in two different stints, 2009-19 and 2023-24.
Cofie gave Virginia its last double-digit lead with 6:08 remaining in the second half before Campbell cut it to six points three times in the next four minutes.
Virginia appeared to take an eight-point lead with two minutes left but an official review determined Saunders' putback attempt did not leave his hands before the shot clock expired.
Campbell guard Jasin Sinani was fouled going for a dunk with 1:46 left before making one of two free throws to get within 59-54. But Virginia's Isaac McKneely was fouled far from the basket and he made both free throws to extend the lead.
Virginia went 2 for 4 on its next two trips to the free-throw line but Campbell could not capitalize.
Virginia improved to 14-2 in its last 16 season openers.
McKneely finished with 11 points and Blake Buchanan added 10 for Virginia.
Colby Duggan scored a team-high nine points for Campbell (1-1).
It was a back and forth first half until the final five minutes when Virginia went on a 12-2 run, capped by 3-pointers by Cofie and Ishan Sharma on back-to-back possessions for a 35-23 lead. Cofie and Sharma combined to make all six of their shots as Virginia made 14 of 22 (64%).
The Fighting Camels made four 3-pointers in the opening six minutes of the second half to get within 44-38.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20:00 |  | (Cavaliers gains possession) | ||
| 19:46 | | Elijah Saunders misses three point jump shot | ||
| 19:44 |  | Eric Van Der Heijden defensive rebound | ||
| 19:29 | | Eric Van Der Heijden turnover (traveling) | ||
| 19:03 | | Nolan Dorsey shooting foul (Blake Buchanan draws the foul) | ||
| 19:03 | | Blake Buchanan misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 19:03 | | +1 | Blake Buchanan makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 0-1 |
| 18:41 | | Elijah Saunders personal foul | ||
| 18:34 | | +3 | Caleb Zurliene makes three point jump shot (Cameron Gregory assists) | 3-1 |
| 18:08 | | Andrew Rohde turnover (bad pass) (Jasin Sinani steals) | ||
| 17:38 | | +3 | Isaac McKneely makes three point jump shot (Blake Buchanan assists) | 3-4 |
| 17:15 | | Nolan Dorsey turnover (bad pass) | ||
| 17:15 | | Cameron Gregory turnover (Isaac McKneely steals) | ||
| 17:15 | | Nolan Dorsey turnover (bad pass) | ||
| 17:03 | | +2 | Blake Buchanan makes two point dunk (TJ Power assists) | 3-6 |
| 16:42 | | +3 | Cameron Gregory makes three point jump shot (Jasin Sinani assists) | 6-6 |
| 16:15 | | +2 | Jacob Cofie makes two point layup (Blake Buchanan assists) | 6-8 |
| 16:00 | | TJ Power personal foul | ||
| 16:00 | | TV timeout | ||
| 15:44 | | Jacob Cofie blocks Jasin Sinani's two point layup | ||
| 15:44 | | Terren Frank offensive rebound | ||
| 15:44 | | +3 | Bragi Gudmundsson makes three point jump shot (Terren Frank assists) | 9-8 |
| 15:00 | | Andrew Rohde misses three point jump shot | ||
| 15:00 | | Jasin Sinani defensive rebound | ||
| 15:00 | | Terren Frank misses two point jump shot | ||
| 15:00 | | TJ Power defensive rebound | ||
| 15:00 | | +3 | TJ Power makes three point jump shot (Isaac McKneely assists) | 9-11 |
| 14:39 | | Colby Duggan misses three point jump shot | ||
| 14:37 | | Terren Frank offensive rebound | ||
| 14:17 | | Colby Duggan misses three point jump shot | ||
| 14:15 | | Elijah Saunders defensive rebound | ||
| 14:08 | | Elijah Saunders turnover (Bragi Gudmundsson steals) | ||
| 13:53 | | Jasin Sinani turnover (Jacob Cofie steals) | ||
| 13:33 | | +2 | Jacob Cofie makes two point dunk | 9-13 |
| 13:25 | | Elijah Saunders personal foul | ||
| 13:12 | | +2 | Colby Duggan makes two point layup (Jasin Sinani assists) | 11-13 |
| 12:40 | | Blake Buchanan turnover (bad pass) | ||
| 12:13 | | +2 | Omar Harris makes two point layup | 13-13 |
| 11:49 | | Bragi Gudmundsson personal foul | ||
| 11:49 | | TV timeout | ||
| 11:45 | | TJ Power misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:43 | | Eric Van Der Heijden defensive rebound | ||
| 11:29 | | Cameron Gregory turnover | ||
| 11:22 | | +2 | Taine Murray makes two point jump shot (Dai Dai Ames assists) | 13-15 |
| 11:02 | | Taine Murray personal foul | ||
| 10:57 | | Omar Harris misses two point jump shot | ||
| 10:55 | | Blake Buchanan defensive rebound | ||
| 10:26 | | Eric Van Der Heijden blocks Blake Buchanan's two point layup | ||
| 10:24 | | Blake Buchanan offensive rebound | ||
| 10:24 | | Caleb Zurliene shooting foul (Blake Buchanan draws the foul) | ||
| 10:24 | | Blake Buchanan misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 10:24 | | Blake Buchanan misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 10:24 | | Caleb Zurliene defensive rebound | ||
| 10:18 | | Eric Van Der Heijden misses two point layup | ||
| 10:16 | | Blake Buchanan defensive rebound | ||
| 10:07 | | TJ Power misses two point jump shot | ||
| 10:05 | | Jasin Sinani defensive rebound | ||
| 9:50 | | Nolan Dorsey misses three point jump shot | ||
| 9:48 | | Blake Buchanan defensive rebound | ||
| 9:38 | | Dai Dai Ames misses two point jump shot | ||
| 9:36 | | Cameron Gregory defensive rebound | ||
| 9:28 | | +3 | Nolan Dorsey makes three point jump shot (Cameron Gregory assists) | 16-15 |
| 9:18 | | Taine Murray misses two point layup | ||
| 9:16 | | Jasin Sinani defensive rebound | ||
| 8:56 | | Eric Van Der Heijden misses three point jump shot | ||
| 8:54 | | TJ Power defensive rebound | ||
| 8:26 | | Caleb Zurliene personal foul | ||
| 8:15 | | +3 | Ishan Sharma makes three point jump shot (Andrew Rohde assists) | 16-18 |
| 7:56 | | Andrew Rohde blocks Jasin Sinani's two point layup | ||
| 7:54 | | Ishan Sharma defensive rebound | ||
| 7:33 | | Andrew Rohde misses three point jump shot | ||
| 7:31 | | Elijah Saunders offensive rebound | ||
| 7:23 | | +2 | Taine Murray makes two point layup (Andrew Rohde assists) | 16-20 |
| 7:01 | | +3 | Colby Duggan makes three point jump shot (Nolan Dorsey assists) | 19-20 |
| 6:33 | | Elijah Saunders turnover (Terren Frank steals) | ||
| 6:33 | | Fighting Camels 30 second timeout | ||
| 6:33 | | TV timeout | ||
| 6:03 | | Jasin Sinani misses three point jump shot | ||
| 6:01 | | Andrew Rohde defensive rebound | ||
| 5:45 | | +3 | Jacob Cofie makes three point jump shot (Ishan Sharma assists) | 19-23 |
| 5:17 | | +2 | Terren Frank makes two point jump shot | 21-23 |
| 4:42 | | +2 | Elijah Saunders makes two point jump shot | 21-25 |
| 4:26 | | Jasin Sinani misses two point layup | ||
| 4:24 | | Ishan Sharma defensive rebound | ||
| 4:14 | | Andrew Rohde turnover (Nolan Dorsey steals) | ||
| 3:53 | | Ishan Sharma blocks Tasos Cook's two point layup | ||
| 3:51 | | Elijah Saunders defensive rebound | ||
| 3:28 | | +2 | Isaac McKneely makes two point jump shot (Ishan Sharma assists) | 21-27 |
| 3:01 | | Terren Frank misses two point layup | ||
| 2:59 | | Jacob Cofie defensive rebound | ||
| 2:59 | | Terren Frank personal foul | ||
| 2:59 | | TV timeout | ||
| 2:32 | | +2 | Blake Buchanan makes two point dunk (Jacob Cofie assists) | 21-29 |
| 2:18 | | Blake Buchanan personal foul | ||
| 2:04 | | +2 | Bragi Gudmundsson makes two point layup (Jasin Sinani assists) | 23-29 |
| 1:37 | | +3 | Jacob Cofie makes three point jump shot (Andrew Rohde assists) | 23-32 |
| 1:12 | | Eric Van Der Heijden misses three point jump shot | ||
| 1:10 | | Ishan Sharma defensive rebound | ||
| 0:59 | | +3 | Ishan Sharma makes three point jump shot (Andrew Rohde assists) | 23-35 |
| 0:40 | | Cameron Gregory misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:38 | | Jacob Cofie defensive rebound | ||
| 0:34 | | Cavaliers 30 second timeout | ||
| 0:10 | | Isaac McKneely turnover | ||
| 0:07 | | Andrew Rohde personal foul | ||
| 0:03 | | +3 | Nolan Dorsey makes three point jump shot (Colby Duggan assists) | 26-35 |
| 0:00 | | End of period |
| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:48 | | Nolan Dorsey misses three point jump shot | ||
| 19:46 | | Isaac McKneely defensive rebound | ||
| 19:31 | | +2 | Elijah Saunders makes two point jump shot | 26-37 |
| 19:02 | | Eric Van Der Heijden misses two point layup | ||
| 19:00 | | TJ Power defensive rebound | ||
| 18:50 | | Elijah Saunders misses two point jump shot | ||
| 18:48 | | Nolan Dorsey defensive rebound | ||
| 18:27 | | +3 | Eric Van Der Heijden makes three point jump shot (Cameron Gregory assists) | 29-37 |
| 18:11 | | Cameron Gregory personal foul | ||
| 18:07 | | +2 | Elijah Saunders makes two point layup (Blake Buchanan assists) | 29-39 |
| 17:52 | | Eric Van Der Heijden turnover (bad pass) (TJ Power steals) | ||
| 17:37 | | Caleb Zurliene shooting foul (Blake Buchanan draws the foul) | ||
| 17:37 | | +1 | Blake Buchanan makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 29-40 |
| 17:37 | | +1 | Blake Buchanan makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 29-41 |
| 17:09 | | Jasin Sinani turnover (bad pass) | ||
| 16:52 | | Elijah Saunders turnover (bad pass) (Jasin Sinani steals) | ||
| 16:52 | | Andrew Rohde personal foul | ||
| 16:37 | | Cameron Gregory misses two point jump shot | ||
| 16:35 | | Colby Duggan offensive rebound | ||
| 16:35 | | Elijah Saunders personal foul | ||
| 16:33 | | +3 | Jasin Sinani makes three point jump shot (Eric Van Der Heijden assists) | 32-41 |
| 16:19 | | +2 | Elijah Saunders makes two point layup (Isaac McKneely assists) | 32-43 |
| 16:19 | | Eric Van Der Heijden shooting foul (Elijah Saunders draws the foul) | ||
| 16:19 | | +1 | Elijah Saunders makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 32-44 |
| 15:55 | | Colby Duggan misses three point jump shot | ||
| 15:53 | | Elijah Saunders defensive rebound | ||
| 15:24 | | Elijah Saunders misses two point jump shot | ||
| 15:22 | | Jasin Sinani defensive rebound | ||
| 15:07 | | +3 |