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No. 2 Virginia uses late run to beat Pitt

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Malcolm Brogdon scored 18 points and No. 2 Virginia used a late 8-0 scoring run to beat Pittsburgh 61-49 on Monday night.

The Cavaliers (24-1, 12-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) three times held Pittsburgh scoreless for more than 5 minutes, and they needed all three to overcome their own problems putting points on the board. The victory allowed Virginia to tie the best start to a season in program history, first accomplished in the 1981-82 season.

Jamel Artis scored 20 and Sheldon Jeter 10 for the Panthers (17-10, 6-7). Pittsburgh cut a 10-point deficit to three with just under 8 minutes to play, but the Cavaliers then reeled off eight straight.

Anthony Gill added 12 points and London Perrantes had 10 points and six assists for Virginia.

The Panthers trailed 25-15 at halftime, but scored 10 of the first 15 points after the break to get within 30-25. Jeter had seven in the burst and he and Artis each contributed a 3-pointer.

For the third time in the game, Pitt then went more than five minutes without a point. They missed five free throws in the drought, but Virginia had a similar dry spell, so the game remained close.

A 3-pointer by Artis pulled the Panthers within 36-32, and Cameron Wright had a chance to cut the deficit to two, but he made only the first of a pair of free throws with 7:54 remaining.

Anthony Gill made a pair of free throws for the Cavaliers, Perrantes added a free throw and a driving basket and Marial Shayok finished the burst with a 3-pointer, giving Virginia a 44-33 lead with 4:14 left.

The Panthers never really made a challenge again, and when they continued to foul as Virginia built its margin to something more comfortable, fans booed and roared as coach Tony Bennett made substitutions.

Virginia got points from seven players in an 18-3 run early in the game. It came after Pittsburgh hit its first two shots, then managed just one field goal in the next 13 minutes, 53 seconds. The Panthers went 6:26 without a point, and after a basket by Chris Jones, they went another 6:19 without scoring.

Tip-ins:

Pittsburgh: The Panthers were playing in Charlottesville for the first time since Jan. 21, 1976.

Virginia: The Cavaliers have now held their opponent scoreless for a stretch of 5 minutes or more 23 times this season.

UP NEXT:

Pittsburgh plays at Syracuse on Saturday.

Virginia completes a three-game homestand against Florida State on Sunday.

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