Virginia is not typically a program in the business of playing spoiler. Not in recent years, at least.
But that was the situation Wednesday, rolling into Winston-Salem, N.C., with a chance to throw a wrench in Wake Forest’s NCAA Tournament hopes, and junior guard Isaac McKneely was more than up to the task. Twenty-seven points and 40 minutes after tip, McKneely had driven the Cavaliers (14-14, 7-10 ACC) to their best win of the season, a convincing 83-75 victory over the Demon Deacons (19-9, 11-6 ACC).
Wake Forest entered sitting on the NCAA Tournament bubble and will have trouble battling for a spot after the loss. Virginia’s attention, with hopes of an at-large bid long since in the rearview mirror, is set on an ACC Tournament run. Wednesday’s win did plenty to improve its prospects — it was the team’s first over an ACC opponent with a winning record, and it came in the form of a convincing outing in enemy territory.
Trudging through their toughest stretch of ACC play, the Cavaliers were coming off two blowout losses — the first at home against No. 3 Duke, the second an even-more-uninspiring road loss to North Carolina. Virginia needed a heroic performance against a formidable opponent to break the losing streak, and McKneely came through. Four three-point shots contributed to his 27 points — a season high — but more impressive was his ability to create his own opportunities at the rim and from the mid-range off the dribble. McKneely also found opportunities for his teammates, leading the team with five assists.
“To be able to do that as a marked man on the scouting report is impressive,” Interim Coach Ron Sanchez said. “When he’s going, our job is to make sure that we continue to find him and feed him and let him kind of carry the offensive load.”
In a game that the Demon Deacons were expected to win, the Cavaliers never trailed by more than two points. The lead changed hands throughout the first nine minutes, but a McKneely three put Virginia ahead with 11:10 remaining in the first half, and the Cavaliers did not relinquish the lead. A Wake Forest three-pointer with just under a minute left in the first half cut the margin to five points, but McKneely and sophomore guard Dai Dai Ames promptly responded with threes of their own, sending Virginia into the half with a commanding 11-point lead.
The second half was much of the same. With the lead down to five points, it was junior guard Andrew Rohde who hit a three-pointer. Less than a minute later, it was senior guard Taine Murray’s turn. The Demon Deacons did not struggle to score for most of the game — in a refreshing turn of events, the Cavaliers’ offensive production was simply too much to overcome.
Around McKneely, other Cavaliers contributed significantly in the win. Rohde, Ames and freshman forward Jacob Cofie all scored in double-digits and opened up chances for McKneely. Throughout the game, passing looked crisp and effortless, a testament to how Virginia has continued to gel over the course of the season.
“These offensive starts kind of ignite your defense,” Sanchez said. “I’m just really pleased with their effort… their selflessness and their desire to play for one another.”
Three-point shooting was critical in the win, as Virginia went 10-22 from behind the line. Arguably more important, though, was the Cavaliers’ ability to shoot from midrange. McKneely and Ames both terrorized the Demon Deacons from midrange, creating space and scoring chances as the shot clock ticked down and opportunities in the paint grew scarce.
The balanced offensive onslaught was an encouraging sight for Virginia as it moves into the final stretch of its schedule. Senior Day beckons Saturday at John Paul Jones Arena as the Cavaliers welcome Clemson, one of the conference’s top teams. Virginia will need a performance much like Wednesday’s to keep up. If Wednesday was any indication, the Cavaliers might be finding their groove at the right time.
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