Virginia Delivers First-Half Knockout, Blows Out North Carolina A&T 80-51

The Cavaliers built a 49-19 halftime lead and cruised to their third win of the season on Tuesday night at JPJ

Virginia played about as perfect of a first half as possible, building a 49-19 halftime lead, and cruised to an 80-51 victory over North Carolina A&T on Tuesday night at John Paul Jones Arena to move to 3-0 on the season. 

The winless Aggies were clearly overmatched in this one and the Cavaliers had no problem enforcing their will right from the jump. Ryan Dunn had six early points and then Isaac McKneely and Jake Groves hit threes on back-to-back possessions as part of an 18-2 run that gave Virginia a 28-8 lead midway through the first half. Dunn had a near double-double in the first half, tallying nine points and eight rebounds before halftime, and finished with a well-rounded statline of 13 points on 4/5 shooting, 11 rebounds, three blocks, and two steals in 21 minutes. 

"I think his activity is so important," UVA head coach Tony Bennett said of Dunn after the game. "That's why last year I said he brought such energy and activity and that's why he went from potentially being a redshirt to like hey, he brings a lot of energy and just try to continue to be as sound as he can defensively, but use his length and mobility and activity." 

North Carolina A&T failed to create open looks against UVA's active defense, making just six field goals in the first half and going 1/15 from beyond the arc. Virginia meanwhile, made its first four threes, had ten different players score, was 6/8 from the perimeter and 18/28 (64.3%) from the floor in the first half, building what was essentially an insurmountable 49-19 advantage at halftime. 

With the game essentially in hand, the Cavaliers put it cruise control for most of the second half, keeping the Aggies at arm's length and giving the end of their bench some minutes late in the blowout. North Carolina A&T played tough to the end, outscoring Virginia 32-31 in the second half and holding the Cavaliers without a three after halftime. Landon Glasper led the Aggies with 18 pointers, including five threes. 

After playing less than five minutes in Virginia's big win over Florida on Friday in Charlotte, Leon Bond III paced the Cavaliers with 16 points on high efficiency, making 8/10 field goals, including a number of sweet mid-range jumpers. 

"I think Leon is deadly there - he don't miss when I see him shoot that sometimes," Ryan Dunn said of Leon Bond's midrange jumper.

Jake Groves, who came off the bench for the first time as Blake Buchanan took his spot in the starting lineup, contributed 11 points and nine rebounds and made both of his three-point attempts. 

Virginia outrebounded North Carolina A&T 42-24 and scored 15 second chance points off of 11 offensive rebounds. The Cavaliers used their size advantage inside to outscore the Aggies 40-10 in the paint. 

The only negative to Virginia's performance on Tuesday night was that sophomore sharpshooter Isaac McKneely, who knocked down a pair of threes and had eight points in the first half, injured his ankle late in the first half and limped off the floor. McKneely did not come back into the game and later returned to the bench with a small boot on his left foot. Tony Bennett said after the game that initial X-rays showed that McKneely didn't break anything in his ankle, but they aren't sure of the overall severity of the injury yet. 

It'll be quick turnaround for the Cavaliers, who will be back in action on Thursday at 7pm against Texas Southern at John Paul Jones Arena. 

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