Chance Mallory made three free throws with 3.6 seconds left and No. 14 Virginia extended its winning streak to eight with an 86-83 win against Miami in Atlantic Coast Conference action Saturday in Charlottesville, Va.
Reserve Jacari White led six players in double figures with 17 points for the Cavaliers (24-3, 12-2 ACC), who improved to 13-1 at home and beat the Hurricanes for the ninth time in their last 10 meetings.
Virginia shot 58% from the field and 50% (12 of 24) from 3-point range in a tightly contested game that featured 14 ties and 12 lead changes. The Cavaliers, who trailed by 11 in the first half, held on to second place in the league behind No. 3 Duke (13-1 in conference play).
Sam Lewis had 15 points, De Ridder scored 14, Mallory and Johann Grunloh each tallied 12 and Malik Thomas had 10 points for Virginia. Mallory added six assists and six rebounds and Grunloh blocked five shots.
The Hurricanes (21-6, 10-4) had their four-game winning streak snapped and fell to 1-4 against Top 25 teams. Tre Donaldson and Shelton Henderson each scored 18 points, while Malik Reneau added 16 and Tru Washington had 15 off the bench.
Virginia started the second half with a 12-3 run, seizing a 51-47 lead on Mallory’s long 3-pointer.
An 11-2 run capped by Mallory’s transition layup gave the Cavaliers a 68-61 cushion with 8:54 remaining.
Miami stormed back with a 12-2 run, pulling ahead 73-70 on Reneau’s dunk with 5:06 to play.
The lead ping-ponged back and forth until White’s fifth 3-pointer put Virginia up 83-79 with 1:16 to play.
After the Hurricanes cut it to 83-81 on Ernest Udeh Jr.’s putback with 51 seconds left, De Ridder missed a 3.
Reneau’s reverse layup with seven seconds left tied it at 83-83 before Miami fouled Mallory on a 3-point try.
The Hurricanes never got a shot off after that as De Ridder’s steal ended the game.
The Hurricanes built a 24-13 lead midway through the first half following a 17-2 run.
The Cavaliers rallied, surging ahead 31-30 on consecutive 3-pointers by White and Grunloh.
Miami scored the last eight points of the half to take a 44-39 lead at intermission.
