ATLANTA - The Virginia men's basketball team achieved a feat last night that it hasn't come up with in seven years. The Cavaliers beat Georgia Tech in Atlanta. Winning on the road was a problem for Virginia last season, but a new group of Cavaliers proved in a 69-65 victory over the Yellow Jackets that this year can be different.
With four seconds left in the game and down by two, Georgia Tech's Tony Akins drove the lane and hoisted up a scoop shot that fell short and left. Virginia's Chris Williams made two free throws with one second left to seal the win for Virginia (13-2, 4-2 ACC).
With the win the Cavaliers have won four road games this season - as many as they won all of last season in the ACC. The victory also marked the first time in four tries that Virginia came away with a win against the Yellow Jackets (7-12, 0-6). Although Georgia Tech hasn't won a conference match yet this season, the Cavaliers understand that last night's victory was not just a given win.
"I thought this was a tremendous ball game," Virginia coach Pete Gillen said. It was "one that was very hard fought. I was proud of our kids tonight."
Georgia Tech led the entire way, as Virginia fell behind, 8-0, early, causing Gillen to call a timeout only a minute and a half into the game. Having to play catch up has been a trend for the Cavaliers since their first ACC game against N.C. State, but once again Virginia fought back to take a win that seemed unlikely halfway through the game.
"It was a very important win," junior Roger Mason Jr said. "I was tired of hearing about not being able to beat Georgia Tech or win on the road. The boys really stepped up today."
The boys Mason referred to are most likely freshmen Elton Brown and Jermaine Harper. Brown came up with career highs in both scoring and rebounding, finishing with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Harper, who scored nine points, made two huge shots for the Cavaliers.
Brown scored his points on the perimeter in Virginia's last game, but last night he banged inside for his points, mainly scoring on tip-ins and layups. His biggest point came from the free throw line with 15 seconds left and extended Virginia's lead to two.
"It was all about banging down low tonight," said Brown, who missed his only three-point attempt. "We wanted to go inside and make it a physical game. I just played my hardest and tried to come up with the big points."
Georgia Tech's leading scorer Akins was held to only two points, thanks to suffocating defense by Harper for most of the game, though he also came up big on offense.
With 3:12 left in the game and the Cavaliers down, 61-59, Harper put up a three that rattled in and out and back in again. Exactly two minutes later, he took a pass from Williams and raced past the heady Akins for a layup that gave the Cavaliers a three-point lead.
Not to be left out are Virginia's three leading scorers, Mason, Williams and junior Travis Watson. Mason scored 12 points. Williams had 10 points and nine rebounds, and Watson came up with his 10th double-double of the year with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Watson gave Virginia the lead for good with 1:30 remaining as he rebounded Brown's missed shot and maneuvered up and under for an important layup. The Cavaliers did not trail again.
Virginia showed perseverance, coming back from being 10 down at one point, marking the fourth straight game in which the Cavaliers were down by eight or more and battled back to take the win.
"I was proud of our kids tonight," Gillen said. "I thought we played with a lot of character. I think if you had to say one word to explain this game it is 'character."
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