In a "must-win" game for the Virginia men's basketball team, the Cavaliers finally played a regular-season game that corresponded with their preseason expectations. With Adam Hall relegated to cheerleading duty on the sidelines with an injured foot, Virginia (11-2, 2-2 ACC) defeated Wake Forest (13-4, 3-1), 86-74, thanks to a total team effort.
"You don't want to dig a big hole for yourself in this league," senior Chris Williams said. "This game was real big for us to get back on the winning track."
Juniors Roger Mason Jr. and Travis Watson led the Cavaliers. Mason had a career high seven three-pointers en route to a game-high 25 points. He also had a game-high four assists.
He had two crucial three-pointers midway through the first half to ignite a Cavaliers 10-0 run to give Virginia a 32-31 lead with four minutes left in the period. Mason also finished the half with a three-pointer to give Virginia a 41-39 halftime lead, a lead the Cavaliers would not relinquish.
"When [Mason] is shooting like that, you just have to give him the ball," Williams said. "That was one of the things we were talking about in the huddle - screen for him, whatever you do - get him the ball."
Watson also had a career high with 17 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end. Watson played with the aggressive, fiery edge and physical dominance Virginia has come to expect. He played a strong second fiddle to Mason's point production with 20 points of his own, including 10-of-11 from the free throw line.
The Virginia freshmen also stepped up in the critical ACC match-up. Jermaine Harper added 10 points off the bench along with invaluable intensity on the defensive end. Keith Jenifer provided solid ball-handling and defensive play at the point guard slot and allowed Mason to carry the team on the offensive end.
"I thought our freshmen did a good job defensively - stuff that won't show up in the box score," Virginia coach Pete Gillen said.
Virginia trailed by as much as 11 points early in the first half before the run sparked by Mason's three-pointers. However, it was the improved defense on the part of the Cavaliers that sustained the run and eventually won the game for Virginia.
"They were drilling us early," Gillen said. "It looked like they were going to beat us by 25. We weren't playing defense early. We finally started playing some defense - moving our feet - and I think that was the difference in the game."
After starting off 11-of-17 from the field, Wake Forest finished the game with 17-of-49 shooting. It was the all-around effort and team defense of the Cavaliers that gave Virginia its second must-win game in a row.
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