The Virginia men’s basketball thumped Harvard by a 76-27 final score on Sunday at John Paul Jones Arena to improve to 11-0 for the first time since 1992-93.
The No. 6 Cavaliers put on a defensive clinic in the 49-point win, holding the Crimson (7-2) — the Ivy League champion each of the last four seasons — to a single field goal in the first half and 16 percent shooting for the game.
Both of those numbers now enter the record books: Harvard’s single first-half field goal ties the NCAA shot-clock-era record for fewest made field goals in a half, and the Crimson’s 16 percent shooting breaks the Virginia record for lowest field-goal percentage ceded. Savannah State previously made just one field goal in a half — the second — at Kansas State on Jan. 7, 2008.
The four Harvard starters to attempt a shot finished a combined 1-32 from the field and 9-15 from the line.
Junior center Mike Tobey got Virginia going early, scoring his team’s first nine points on a jump hook, three free throws and a pair of long twos. The seven-footer finished with a season-high 15 points, as well as 10 rebounds and two blocks in 22 minutes.
Through five minutes of play, Harvard trailed 11-3; through 10, 20-4. By halftime, the Cavaliers held a 39-8 lead.
After six empty possessions between the teams, Virginia junior guards Justin Anderson and Malcolm Brogdon started the second-half scoring with back-to-back 3-pointers.
Harvard pushed back behind four unanswered points from senior forward Steve Moundou-Missi. Virginia squelched the rally with two 3-pointers, and when Brogdon laid the ball in with 11:40 to play, the Cavaliers led by 40.
The Crimson did not get any closer in the final 10 minutes, and coach Tony Bennett subbed in his walk-ons with 1:56 to play.
Harvard’s eight first-half points breaks the Virginia shot-clock-era record for fewest points allowed in a first half, and ties Rutgers’ eight second-half points — in the Barclays Center Classic title game this Nov. 29 — for the program record for points allowed in any half in the shot-clock era.
In addition, the Crimson’s 27 points is the second fewest yielded by Virginia in the shot-clock era. Rutgers finished with 26 earlier this year.
The Cavaliers conclude their three-game homestand Tuesday, Dec. 30, hosting Davidson for a 6 p.m. tip.
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