Strong second half enough for Virginia

Nickeil Alexander-Walker (4) of Virginia Tech drives to the basket and is fouled from behind by Mamadi Diakite (25) of UVa in the first half of the Virginia Tech - University of Virginia NCAA basketball game in Blacksburg Va., Monday, Feb. 18 2019. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)
Nickeil Alexander-Walker (4) of Virginia Tech drives to the basket and is fouled from behind by Mamadi Diakite (25) of UVa in the first half of the Virginia Tech - University of Virginia NCAA basketball game in Blacksburg Va., Monday, Feb. 18 2019. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)

NO. 3 VIRGINIA 64,

NO. 20 VIRGINIA TECH 58

BLACKSBURG, Va. -- Kyle Guy scored 23 points and No. 3 Virginia pulled away in the second half to beat No. 20 Virginia Tech 64-58 on Monday night.

Ty Jerome added 16 points and De'Andre Hunter had 10 for the Cavaliers (23-2, 11-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), who swept the regular-season series and won for the sixth time in their last eight visits to Cassell Coliseum.

Kerry Blackshear Jr. had 23 points and 13 rebounds for the Hokies (20-6, 9-5), who played their sixth game in a row without floor leader Justin Robinson (injured foot). Ahmed Hill added 16 points, but the Hokies made just 3 of 27 three-point attempts.

The game was tied 32-32 after Hill's three-pointer opened the second-half scoring, but the Cavaliers gradually built their lead to 48-38 with about 11 minutes to play. The Hokies scored the next five points, but Virginia turned up its defense and held the Hokies scoreless for six possessions over the next 4 ½ minutes and opened its largest lead at 56-43 with 5:51 to play.

Hill broke the drought for Virginia Tech with a steal and dunk, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker followed a Virginia miss with a basket in traffic, but Jerome answered with a driving bank shot for the Cavaliers, and their lead was 58-47 with four minutes to play. Three-pointers by Guy, his sixth of the game, and Braxton Key rebuilt the Virginia lead to 64-54 with under a minute left.

NO. 22 WISCONSIN 64,

ILLINOIS 58

MADISON, Wis. -- Brad Davison scored 18 points, Khalil Iverson added 16 and No. 22 Wisconsin held off Illinois.

The Badgers (18-8, 10-5 Big Ten) ground out a victory over Illinois (10-16, 6-9) with leading scorer Ethan Happ on the bench down the stretch.

Happ, who averages 18 points, scored 6 points on 3-of-7 shooting, was 0 for 3 from the foul line and had 3 turnovers, including one just before he sat out the final minutes.

But Davison led the Badgers down the stretch. His short jumper put the Badgers up 54-52 with 3:21 left, giving them the lead for good. After Iverson blocked Giorgi Bezhanishvili, Davison collected the loose ball to take it in for a layup and a 56-52 lead with 2:45 to go.

Aaron Jordan finished with 12 points for the Illini, while Ayo Dosunmu added 11 and Bezhanishvili 10.

Sports on 02/19/2019

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