Elijah Saunders scores 22 and Virginia rallies in the second half to beat NC State 70-67
AP
Dec 31, 2024
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) Elijah Saunders scored 22 points, Isaac McKneely had 15 points and four 3-pointers, and Virginia Cavaliers rallied in the second half to beat NC State Wolfpack 70-67 on Tuesday.
Blake Buchanan gave Virginia a 67-55 lead with 5:02 remaining but the Cavaliers did not make another field goal the rest of the way.
NC State grabbed an offensive rebound on three straight possessions to begin a 10-1 run to get within 68-65 with 1:08 left. The Wolfpack worked the clock down on their next possession, but Jayden Taylor’s bank shot rolled off and Saunders secured the defensive rebound before making two free throws with 15.5 seconds left for a five-point lead.
Marcus Hill scored quickly for NC State to get within three points with 10.9 seconds left and Saunders missed the front end of a one-and-one with 3.9 left. Hill grabbed the rebound and passed it to Michael O’Connell, who rushed a shot from beyond midcourt as time expired that did not hit the rim.
Andrew Rohde added 10 points and seven assists for Virginia (8-5, 1-1 ACC).
Taylor scored 14 points for NC State (8-5, 1-1). Brandon Huntley-Hatfield and Hill each scored 12.
NC State, which led 39-29 at halftime, scored the first four points of the second half to take a 14-point lead. But Virginia went on a 17-3 run to tie it at 46-all on a 3-pointer from the corner by Rohde as the Wolfpack went 1 of 11 from the field.
McKneely sank a 3-pointer with 11:07 remaining in the second half to give Virginia its first lead, 51-50, since it was 13-11.
Virginia stays home to play Louisville on Saturday. NC State travels to play Wake Forest on Saturday.
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1st Half
NCST
Wolfpack
39
UVA
Cavaliers
29
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Brandon Huntley-Hatfield vs. Jacob Cofie (Marcus Hill gains possession)
19:39
+2
Dontrez Styles makes two point layup (Michael O'Connell assists)
2-0
19:07
+2
Jacob Cofie makes two point layup (Elijah Saunders assists)
2-2
18:40
Jayden Taylor misses three point jump shot
18:38
Jacob Cofie defensive rebound
18:19
+2
Dai Dai Ames makes two point layup
2-4
17:47
+2
Marcus Hill makes two point jump shot (Jayden Taylor assists)
4-4
17:20
+2
Isaac McKneely makes two point jump shot
4-6
16:54
+3
Jayden Taylor makes three point jump shot (Marcus Hill assists)
7-6
16:32
Andrew Rohde misses three point jump shot
16:30
Marcus Hill defensive rebound
16:16
+2
Brandon Huntley-Hatfield makes two point hook shot
9-6
15:47
+2
Jacob Cofie makes two point layup
9-8
15:31
Dontrez Styles misses three point jump shot
15:29
Andrew Rohde defensive rebound
15:24
+2
Elijah Saunders makes two point layup (Andrew Rohde assists)
9-10
14:56
Marcus Hill misses two point jump shot
14:54
Wolfpack offensive rebound
14:54
TV timeout
14:43
Blake Buchanan shooting foul
14:43
+1
Brandon Huntley-Hatfield makes regular free throw 1 of 2
10-10
14:43
+1
Brandon Huntley-Hatfield makes regular free throw 2 of 2
11-10
14:24
Isaac McKneely misses two point jump shot
14:22
Blake Buchanan offensive rebound
14:22
Dennis Parker Jr. personal foul
14:13
Jump ball. (Cavaliers gains possession)
14:05
+2
Elijah Saunders makes two point jump shot (Taine Murray assists)
11-12
13:49
Brandon Huntley-Hatfield misses two point hook shot
13:47
Elijah Saunders defensive rebound
13:34
Marcus Hill shooting foul
13:34
Blake Buchanan misses regular free throw 1 of 2
13:34
+1
Blake Buchanan makes regular free throw 2 of 2
11-13
13:06
+3
Michael O'Connell makes three point jump shot (Jayden Taylor assists)
14-13
12:39
Blake Buchanan turnover (bad pass)
12:25
Breon Pass misses three point jump shot
12:23
Taine Murray defensive rebound
11:53
Dai Dai Ames misses two point jump shot
11:51
Michael O'Connell defensive rebound
11:47
+3
Breon Pass makes three point jump shot (Michael O'Connell assists)
17-13
11:36
Isaac McKneely misses three point jump shot
11:34
Breon Pass defensive rebound
11:16
+2
Ismaël Diouf makes two point layup (Michael O'Connell assists)
19-13
11:16
Cavaliers 30 second timeout
11:16
TV timeout
11:01
Taine Murray misses two point layup
10:59
TJ Power offensive rebound
10:58
+2
TJ Power makes two point layup
19-15
10:55
Jacob Cofie personal foul
10:38
+3
Breon Pass makes three point jump shot (Jayden Taylor assists)
22-15
10:17
Andrew Rohde misses two point layup
10:15
Breon Pass defensive rebound
10:05
Dennis Parker Jr. misses three point jump shot
10:03
TJ Power defensive rebound
10:03
Ismaël Diouf personal foul
9:43
+2
Taine Murray makes two point jump shot (Andrew Rohde assists)
22-17
9:17
+2
Dennis Parker Jr. makes two point layup
24-17
8:55
+2
Andrew Rohde makes two point layup
24-19
8:24
+3
Trey Parker makes three point jump shot (Jayden Taylor assists)
27-19
8:02
Taine Murray turnover (lost ball) (Jayden Taylor steals)
8:01
Taine Murray shooting foul
8:01
+1
Jayden Taylor makes regular free throw 1 of 2
28-19
8:01
+1
Jayden Taylor makes regular free throw 2 of 2
29-19
7:36
Ishan Sharma misses three point jump shot
7:34
Elijah Saunders offensive rebound
7:31
+2
Elijah Saunders makes two point layup
29-21
7:05
Marcus Hill turnover (bad pass)
7:05
TV timeout
6:52
Isaac McKneely misses two point layup
6:50
Brandon Huntley-Hatfield defensive rebound
6:43
Jacob Cofie blocks Marcus Hill's two point layup
6:41
Isaac McKneely defensive rebound
6:23
Andrew Rohde turnover (lost ball) (Marcus Hill steals)
6:14
Michael O'Connell turnover (bad pass) (Jacob Cofie steals)
5:57
+2
Elijah Saunders makes two point layup
29-23
5:23
Michael O'Connell misses three point jump shot
5:21
Isaac McKneely defensive rebound
5:12
Jayden Taylor personal foul
5:06
Isaac McKneely turnover (bad pass) (Breon Pass steals)
5:00
+2
Dontrez Styles makes two point layup (Jayden Taylor assists)
31-23
4:45
Andrew Rohde misses two point layup
4:43
Michael O'Connell defensive rebound
4:31
+3
Jayden Taylor makes three point jump shot (Breon Pass assists)
34-23
3:55
+3
Ishan Sharma makes three point jump shot (Andrew Rohde assists)