NCAAB Game Recap - Clemson at Virginia
Wed Feb 5, 2020 7:00 PM EST

Wake
76
Lou
86
F
Vill
76
Butl
79
F
Seton
78
GTown
71
F
IaSt
61
WVU
76
F
Iowa
68
Purd
104
F
LSU
90
Vand
99
F
Crei
56
Prov
73
F
LoyIL
39
IndSt
68
F
Pitt
72
ND
80
F
Mercer
57
Furm
79
F
Clem
44
UVA
51
F
Duques
82
StLou
68
F
SouthCar
70
Miss
84
F
SIU
64
Evans
60
F(OT)
Bingha
49
Albany
62
F
W IL
69
IPFW
75
F
Woff
79
VMI
73
F
Maine
52
Vermt
77
F
ETSU
80
Chat
64
F
UMassL
70
Stony
77
F
GrgWas
47
StBon
72
F
Citad
68
UNCG
88
F
Amer
62
Navy
54
F
Hartfo
59
UMBC
70
F
Colg
81
Leh
51
F
FAU
50
FIU
69
F
UGA
75
Fla
81
F
Boston
80
Army
66
F
LoyMD
74
HolyC
60
F
Nich
64
SFA
70
F
WCU
78
Samf
70
F
AbCh
69
NWSt
73
F
Temp
65
Mem
79
F
TCU
57
OkSt
72
F
SHSU
71
InWor
72
F(OT)
NDSU
86
NebOm
78
F
McNee
62
TXAMC
69
F
NrthIA
63
Valpa
51
F
IlSt
60
MOSt
80
F
HCU
79
SeLA
76
F
CenAR
67
Lamar
74
F
NCSU
83
Mia-FL
72
F
Wisc
52
Minn
70
F
Brad
60
Drake
73
F
UCRiv
48
CS-Ful
61
F
LongB
75
CAPoly
92
F
UNLV
54
UtSt
69
F

Feb 5, 2020, 7:00 PM EST

Final

1

2

T

Clemson

14

30

44

Virginia

26

25

51

Key's 3-pointers push Virginia past Clemson, 51-44
Wed Feb 5, 2020 10:19 PM

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) Braxton Key always does plenty of the little things for Virginia �� like setting screens, rebounding and playing stout defense - that help the Cavaliers have success.

He did the big things, too, Wednesday night, hitting two critical 3-pointers in the final 5 minutes as the Cavaliers beat Clemson for the 10th consecutive time, 51-44.

"I just told Kihei (Clark) `Find me and I'll just make a play,' and I made a couple of plays for the team," Key said. His first 3-pointer came shortly after the Cavaliers went nearly 5 1/2 minutes without a point, seeing an 11-point lead whittled to 36-34. The next made it 45-39 with 51 seconds remaining.

“Just trying to do whatever I can do to help the team win,” the second-year transfer said. "The shot felt great tonight so I was just going with that.”

With Virginia flailing on offense, Key saved the day. After having surgery on his left wrist earlier in the season, he's been playing with progressively smaller casts on the hand as the injury heals, and said his comfort level is allowing more confidence. Making the big shots only enhanced that feeling, he said.

It came at just the right time for the Cavaliers, who have now won three straight after losing four times in a five-game span.

“Sometimes it gets to that point and you just need someone to jump up and make a shot or make a big play and Braxton did that twice,” Virginia coach Tony Bennett said.

Key finished with 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds while Mamadi Diakite added 13 points and eight boards for Virginia (15-6, 7-4 Atlantic Coast Conference). Jay Huff had 10 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks.

Aamir Simms scored 16 points for the Tigers (11-11, 5-7). Clemson twice got within one possession in the closing minutes, bringing a hush over John Paul Jones Arena, but Key answered each time. He was 4 for 6 from beyond the arc in the game after having made just 8 of 45 attempts in his first 17 games.

“I think he's just an older player that saw that his team needed him to play and played well. He took it upon himself to make big shots and that's what good older players do,” Tigers coach Brad Brownell said..

"We had some chances, had some looks, and we've struggled to make those big-time 3s on the road that you need to win games like this," he said.

Key's first big 3 came ended a 12-3 run for the Tigers that pulled them within 36-34 with 5 minutes to go. After they again closed within 42-39, Key made another with 1:28 to go and followed by making both ends of a one-and-one free throw opportunity to push the advantage to eight with 51 seconds left.

The Cavaliers, who lead the nation in scoring defense - allowing just 50.7 points per game - won for the eighth time this season when scoring 60 points or fewer and held their 11th opponent below 50.

BIG PICTURE

Clemson: The Tigers have been somewhat like Virginia in their offensive difficulties. In games where they fail to score 70 points, they were 2-10 coming into the game against the nation's stingiest defense. In losses, they've failed to reach 60 points six times, with lows of 45 (Yale) and 44 twice (Wake Forest, Virginia). They shot 32.7% (17 of 52) and were 6 of 28 (21.4%) on 3-pointers.

Virginia: The Cavaliers' very deliberate approach on offense at times seems to have the same effect on them as a baseball pitcher who works very slowly has on his defense, causing concentration issues or sluggishness. They often seem to be passing the ball around the perimeter more looking for someone willing to take a shot than for someone open to take a shot.

UP NEXT

The Tigers return home to face Notre Dame on Sunday night.

Virginia travels to No. 5 Louisville for a Saturday afternoon contest.

---

For more AP college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and http://twitter.com/AP-Top25

Leaders

Clemson PTS +/- AST REB ST BLK
A. Simms 16 0 2 3 2 2
A. Dawes 11 0 0 8 1 0
Virginia PTS +/- AST REB ST BLK
B. Key 19 0 2 8 1 0
M. Diakite 13 0 1 8 1 2

Team Comparison

Clem UVA
Points For 44 51
Field Goals 17/52-33% 17/46-37%
Three Pointers 6/28-21% 7/20-35%
Free Throws 4/7-57% 10/17-59%
Offensive Rebounds 8 5
Defensive Rebounds 26 30
Rebounds 39 36
Blocks 2 7
Steals 5 5
Turnovers 9 8
Personal Fouls 16 11
Technical Fouls 0 0
Ejections 0 0

2019-20 Reg Season - UVA Leads Series 1-0

Date Result Away Pts Ldr Home Pts Ldr
Wed Feb 5 Clem 44 @ UVA 51 A. Simms 16 B. Key 19

Game Information

Stadium: John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville, Virginia
Attendance: 13,580
Game Time: