During most of last night's basketball contest between Virginia and Florida State, nothing could have been predicted about the game's outcome. With just under 15 minutes remaining on the clock, the Seminoles had mounted a 14-point lead. Cavalier senior Devin Smith had yet to make a three-pointer, having then missed four shots from beyond the arc. Florida State had shot 52 percent in the first half.
Yet, at the 4:22 mark, Smith finally made his first three-pointer of the game, backpedaling down the court as the definition of confidence. After a 23-12 Virginia scoring run, Florida State now held a slim 53-50 lead.
The tide had finally turned.
With 31 seconds remaining and the Cavaliers down 55-53, Seminole guard Von Wafer turned the ball over on a travel, giving Virginia a chance on one final possession. After a failed three-point attempt by Cavalier guard Sean Singletary with seven seconds on the clock, teammate T.J. Bannister fought through two Florida State defenders to tip the ball out to J.R. Reynolds. Reynolds looked at the basket as time dwindled, but then zipped a laser pass to Smith on the wing. The senior proceeded to step back and sink a game-winning three-pointer.
When the buzzer sounded, Virginia had prevailed, 56-55.
For the Cavaliers, there was apparent confusion on both sides of the court during the first half. On defense, individuals played aggressively, while the unit often fell victim to missed switches after picks and Seminole players cutting open through the key.
In the second half, the Cavalier defense went through a transformation.
"We turned it up down the stretch," Virginia coach Pete Gillen said. "We changed a couple different scenarios. We were man-to-man but we did a couple different things on their screens. We contested shots a little better and we wanted to win."
The Seminoles would make just six field goals in the last 20 minutes of play on 33 percent shooting.
After the half, Virginia's defense carried a faster offense that would eventually take its first lead of the game with Smith's game-winner.
Outside of the final shot, the story of the evening was a hustling team, demonstrated by Bannister's battle for the ball to set up his teammate for the shot.
"He went between two or three maroon jerseys," Gillen said. "He got the ball somehow. He just wanted it."
Despite running a lineup that was generally undersized, the Cavaliers managed to keep the rebounding campaign even and limit themselves to just ten turnovers. Reynolds and Singletary each pulled down five boards and Bannister contributed with two steals.
In the end, the Cavaliers played with urgency down the stretch that resulted in stifling defensive pressure and remarkable hustle. Virginia came back from their largest deficit of the year to earn their third ACC victory.
"They wanted to win," Gillen said. "But I think we dug down a little bit more"
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