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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
HANOVER, N.H. (AP) -- Another win for Virginia (No. 9 ESPN/USA Today, No. 8 AP), another
impressed coach.
The Cavaliers completed their non-conference season unbeaten
with a 102-56 victory over Dartmouth on Saturday.
"They've definitely got a fan here," Dartmouth coach Dave
Faucher said. "They're as athletic as any team in the nation.
"You watch them. They're going to make a run (in the NCAA
tournament)."
The Cavaliers (10-0) can take their first step Tuesday when they
open their Atlantic Coast Conference season against No. 4 Wake
Forest.
The Cavaliers, a preseason pick to finish in the middle of the
ACC, have surprised their own coach.
"I never thought we'd be 10-0," Pete Gillen said. "Wake
Forest and Virginia being a big game is unusual."
Dartmouth (2-8) was no match for the Cavaliers, who led 50-25 at
halftime. The only suspense then was whether Virginia would hit the
100-point mark for the third time this season and it did when Josh
Hare hit a 3-pointer, his only basket, with .5 seconds left.
Roger Mason finished with 17 points, Travis Watson had 13,
Donald Hand 11 and reserve Maurice Young 10 as Gillen used nine
players for at least 14 minutes. Watson also had nine rebounds and
Williams and Stephane Dondon grabbed seven each as the Cavaliers
outrebounded Dartmouth 46-24.
Greg Buth led Dartmouth with 16 points and Charles Harris had
11.
Although the Cavaliers had no size advantage, they were much
quicker than Dartmouth, and used that advantage for 18 steals and
forced 24 turnovers as they pressured the Big Green all over the
court.
Most of their points came from drives to the basket or close-in
shots that also forced Dartmouth to foul. Virginia shot 40 free
throws, hitting 31, while Dartmouth was only 7-for-14.
"We're not big and strong, but we're very quick," Gillen said.
"We tried to make them rush.
"The key was our defense. Our defensive intensity was pretty
good."
Gillen's only concern was overconfidence, one of the reasons he
wrote "Respect" on the blackboard for his team to see before the
game.
"Every day I pick up the newspapers and read where the underdog
can win," he said. "North Carolina came up here two years ago and
it was a real war."
But not this time.
Dartmouth's only lead came on the opening basket, a 3-pointer by
Harris. The last tie was at 5 on a basket by Buth. But Hand and
Williams scored for a 9-5 lead and Virginia was on its way.
Hall's dunk and two baskets by Watson and two by Williams from
close in made it 19-11.
The largest first-half lead was 25 points when Hand hit a 3 at
the buzzer.
The biggest leads were 86-39 and 88-41 as Virginia made sure
none of its first 10 opponents came closer than 16 points.
One sidelight was the matchup between Virginia's Keith Friel and
his brother Greg of Dartmouth, one of the reasons Virginia made its
first trip to New Hampshire. Keith managed only five points on
1-for-10 shooting while Greg had three points on 1-for-7 shooting.
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ALSO SEE
Men's College Basketball Scoreboard
Virginia Clubhouse
Dartmouth Clubhouse
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