Cavaliers Shoot Down Spiders, 85-58

Devin Smith went 5 for 10 from 3-point range.

It was just a matter of time, the Cavaliers figured, before they found their outside shooting touch. That time came today against Richmond at University Hall.

After making just 14 3-pointers in its first three games, Virginia drained 11 from long range in an impressive 85-58 rout of the Spiders. Devin Smith swished five from beyond the arc on his way to 26 points, while J.R. Reynolds and Sean Singletary combined for five more. That perimeter shooting, combined with another strong defensive effort and another double-double by Elton Brown, helped the Cavs improve to 4-0. All four wins have come by at least 17 points.

“We have a lot of good shooters on this team. We knew we could shoot it better than we’d showed,” Reynolds said. “It’s fun when people are setting each other up, driving and kicking it out for open shots. A lot of guys got hot in the first half.”

Virginia made eight 3-pointers in the first half, three by Reynolds, two by Smith, two by Singletary and one by Adrian Joseph . For the game, the Cavs were 11 of 27 from long range, or 41 percent, compared to 27 percent in their first three games.

J.R. Reynolds dished out six assists, a career high.

“Everybody’s been putting in extra work, shooting after practice,” said Smith, who scored just three points against Appalachian State four days ago. “That paid off today.”

Moving the ball against Richmond’s 2-3 zone, Virginia set the tone early as Singletary, Smith and Reynolds made 3-pointers in the first four minutes to seize an 11-4 lead. The Spiders drew within 27-25 before UVa closed the half on a 20-4 run. The key was shooting. Richmond couldn’t make a free throw, missing seven straight foul shots in the last six minutes of the half. Meanwhile, Singletary, Smith and Reynolds – in that order again – drilled treys on consecutive possessions to stretch the lead to 47-29 by the break.

The Cavaliers extended their advantage to 30 in first six minutes of the second half, thanks in part to two more deep shots by Smith, and cruised from there.

“We made perimeter shots, which we had not been making, and we did a pretty good job defensively,” said UVa coach Pete Gillen. “The score differential is no indication of the difference between the teams. They’re a very good team. We just had a good game.”

Elton Brown had 12 points, 10 boards and three assists.

Richmond (2-1) made the NCAA tournament as an at-large team last year. Though three 1,000-point scorers from that squad graduated, the Spiders won at Seton Hall last week and should be a contender in the Atlantic 10.

“We’re a young basketball team and we were exposed today,” said Richmond coach Jerry Wainwright. “But I think we’ll get better and I think this will end up being a very good win for Virginia.”

Brown finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds – his third double-double of the season – as the Cavaliers won the battle of the boards by three. They also forced 22 Richmond turnovers and have limited all four of their opponents to 60 points or fewer. All of those games have been at home, however, so they will get their first road test Wednesday at Northwestern in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.

“We’re off to a good start. We’re showing people what we can do,” Brown said. “But now we want to prove that we can win on the road. That’s our next challenge.”