Despite a dominant performance from junior guard Jontel Evans, the Virginia men's basketball team fell 60-48 at Clemson yesterday evening and has now dropped three of its past four games.
Evans posted 17 points while shooting 72.7 percent from the field and opened the game with a perfect 6-of-6. His first miss, however, came on a controversial no-call, which cost the No. 22 Cavaliers (19-6, 6-5 ACC) at a crucial juncture.
Virginia pulled within three points at 44-41, but after the referees did not call an apparent foul against Evans, the Tigers (13-12, 5-6 ACC) went on an 8-0 run which effectively sealed the Cavaliers' fate.
The Cavaliers lacked the firepower to overcome the Tiger's 52-41 lead with 2 minutes 26 seconds to play as their two deep threats struggled to score. Both sophomore guard Joe Harris and senior guard Sammy Zeglinski went 1-of-5 as Harris played through a fractured left hand and Zeglinski continued a 5-of-23 shooting slump.
Virginia finished the game 3-of-16 from behind the arc and coughed up an uncharacteristically high 18 turnovers.
Clemson, meanwhile, received 13-point performances from senior guards Andre Young and Tanner Smith to avenge a four-point loss in Charlottesville Jan. 31.
-compiled by Ashley Robertson