Virginia falls to Duke 59-49 in ACC Championship game

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Virginia shot just 33 percent from the field and made just 4-of-17 three-pointers in a 59-49 loss to Duke Saturday night in the ACC tournament championship game.

“They’re a good defensive team, they’ve really come together that way,” said Tony Bennett after the game. “Their length and athleticism is real. At times it sped us up and were were unusually rushed.”

Duke jumped out to a 6-0 lead and never trailed. The ‘Hoos cut the deficit to four late but never could take the lead. Reece Beekman led Virginia with 12 points. Jeremy Roach led Duke with 23 points. Kyle Filipowski added 20 for Duke.

UVa’s Jayden Gardner says, “They played to their athleticism and made it hard to score around the basket. We didn’t do any favors by missing some easy bunnies.”

“On the inside they made it hard to get to the paint,” says Reece Beekman “We just didn’t knock down shots today. A combination dicated the game.”

UVA freshman Isaac McKneely says, “We cut it to four, five, six and we just couldn’t get over the hump. We say stop, score but we just couldn’t get it done tonight.”

Virginia drops to 2-2 in the ACC tournament title game under coach Tony Bennett. The ‘Hoos now wait to find out who and where they will play in the NCAA tournament.

Team Notes

• UVA fell to 25-7 and 3-7 in ACC Tournament finals

• UVA is 11-6 away from home, including a 5-1 mark on neutral courts

• UVA is 3-3 vs. ranked opponents in 2022-23

• UVA’s 49 points were its second fewest of the season (48 at Boston College)

• UVA’s 17 first-half points marked a season low

• UVA shot 6 of 22 (27.1%) from the field and 1 of 7 (14.3%) from 3-point range in the first half

• UVA forced one shot clock violation and one five-second violation

• UVA owned a 17-5 advantage in bench points

• Duke won the rebound battle 33-30

• UVA shot 4 of 17 (23.5%) overall from 3-point range

ACC Tournament Notes

• The Cavaliers are 46-65 all-time in the ACC Tournament and 20-25 in Greensboro

• UVA has posted an 8-5 mark as the No. 2 seed in tournament.

• UVA has advanced to the ACC Tournament finals four times under head coach Tony Bennett (2014, 2016, 2018, 2023)

• Bennett is 15-10 all-time in the ACC Tournament.

Series Notes

• UVA is 1-1 vs. Duke this season and 4-16 against the Blue Devils in the ACC Tournament

• UVA is 54-124 all-time vs. Duke, including a 6-24 neutral site mark

• UVA and Duke met in the ACC Tournament for the first time since the top-seeded Cavaliers defeated the third-seeded Blue Devils 72-63 in the 2014 final.

• UVA is 2-7 vs. Duke in Greensboro

Player Notes

• Double Figure Scorers: Reece Beekman (12), Isaac McKneely (10)

• McKneely reached double figures for the seventh time

• Beekman reached double figures for the 29th time

• Beekman had a team-high four steals

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