LDN - Sports

No. 6 Virginia rallies past Ohio State 63-61

[December 01, 2016] CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- When Virginia guard Marial Shayok missed two potential game-sealing free throws late in the game, the junior knew he needed to make a play on the defensive end.

One play later, Ohio State had the chance to win the game with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer as JaQuan Lyle let go from 24-feet away. Shayok's outstretched arm deterred Lyle's shot, and the Buckeyes attempt at an upset.

Sixth-ranked Virginia wiped out a 16-point first-half deficit to knock off Ohio State 63-61 on Wednesday night to remain unbeaten and record its 24th straight home victory.

"I knew I wasn't going to let him (Lyle) score," Shayok said of the game's final play.

The win marked the second straight season the Cavaliers beat the Buckeyes in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

Virginia (7-0) overcame a subpar performance by shooting 38 percent from the field, but made key plays down the stretch.

"We got thoroughly outplayed in every shape and form in the first half," Virginia coach Tony Bennett said. "They (Ohio State) are a tough-minded, talented team. In the second half, we played."

Guard London Perrantes scored a game-high 19 points to lead Virginia.

"At halftime I told London, I said come on," Bennett said. "He did, he played after that."

Guard Devon Hall had his best game of the season for the Cavaliers with 12 points, three rebounds and three assists.

Ohio State (6-1) was led by Jae'Sean Tate with 14 points and Lyle scored 12.

"We had the play called about three possessions earlier," Matta said of the last-second sequence. "I told them a two would tie and a three would win it and obviously it wasn't the shot that we were designing, but they (Virginia) did a good job of pressuring us out of the set."

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Ohio State committed 20 turnovers which led to 18 Virginia points.

The Buckeyes led for the majority of the game while shooting 50 percent from the floor.

Virginia used an 11-0 run to start the second half to fuel their comeback, and keep their 670-day unbeaten streak at home alive.

"We played some really good basketball tonight but the stretches that we didn't, cost us," Ohio State coach Thad Matta said. "Start of the second half we tried to tell them that we hadn't started second half's well, and it got us tonight."

The Buckeyes led for the entire first half as they shot 60 percent from the field on their way to a 36-24 halftime advantage. The Buckeyes got 20 points in the paint in the first 20 minutes and held Virginia to 28 percent shooting.

Tate put in 12 first-half points, knocking down 5 of 6 shots from the field.

Hall led Virginia with five points as the Cavaliers played their worst half this season. Virginia trailed 32-16 late in the half after back-to-back 3-pointers from Jackson. Perrantes answered with a 3-pointer of his own to cut the Ohio State lead.

NOTES: Ohio State F Keita Bates-Diop was unavailable because of an ankle injury. ... Ohio State's loss was their third straight in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. ... G London Perrantes' 19 points were a season high by a Virginia player.

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