The Virginia men’s basketball team handed Virginia Commonwealth a 74-57 defeat Saturday afternoon in Richmond, improving to 9-0 for the first time since 2001-02 and snapping the Rams’ 22-game home winning streak.
Playing their fourth consecutive road game, the No. 7 Cavaliers grabbed the lead for good when junior guard Malcolm Brogdon knocked down a 3-pointer to break a 16-16 tie with 10:30 to play in the first half.
Facing a seven-point deficit after junior forward Anthony Gill’s dunk, VCU (5-3) battled back to 25-23 on junior guard Melvin Johnson’s jump shot with 7:05 left in the period. Virginia responded with a 6-0 run capped by redshirt freshman point guard Devon Hall’s slam.
Though the Rams cut the Cavalier edge to five on sophomore guard Jordan Burgess’ 3-pointer 3:36 before the break, Virginia answered with a 7-2 run to enter halftime up 38-28.
After Cavaliers junior guard Justin Anderson converted two free throws for a 44-32 lead with 17:43 remaining, VCU came back again, drawing within six on sophomore forward Mo Alie-Cox’s jump shot at the 15:17 mark.
Brogdon and Gill scored the next two baskets off assists from sophomore point guard London Perrantes, restoring Virginia’s double-digit lead.
Up 57-46 with 9:26 to play, the Cavaliers repelled VCU one last time following a trio of 3-pointers by Rams senior guard Treveon Graham.
Graham’s last triple pulled the Rams within four at 59-55 with 6:57 to go, but Virginia put the game away with a 15-0 run.
Anderson led the Cavaliers with a season-high 21 points, while Perrantes doled out a career-high-tying nine assists. Gill put up 18 points on 7-9 shooting and snagged nine boards as Virginia outrebounded the Rams 35-21. The Cavaliers have held the edge on the glass in every game this year.
Graham and Johnson led VCU with 17 and 15 points, respectively.
Virginia now breaks for exams until Dec. 18, when Cleveland State visits John Paul Jones Arena for a 7 p.m. tip.
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