The Virginia basketball team closed out its non-conference schedule this week with a dominant 79-44 win against Morgan State. As has been the case throughout the season’s first 12 games, Reece Beekman played a featured role for the Hoos as he posted 17 points, 7 assists, 2 blocked shots, and a steal.

That steal tied Beekman for third on UVA’s all-time steals list with 189. He now shares that spot with Chris Williams (1999-2002) and Jeff Jones (1979-1982) and he’ll soon be closing in on the best pair of theft artists in program history. Sean Singletary (2005-2008) is No. 2 with 200 career steals, while Othell Wilson (1981-1984) owns the record with 222. At his current rate of 2.4 steals per game, currently a career best number, Beekman will have a shot at the record sometime in February.

Of course, steals are kind of Beekman’s thing or at least what’s fueled many of the memorable highlights of his career as a Cavalier. He regularly comes up with a pick-2 steal in games where he quickly turns a take-away into easy points on the other end. It’s not hard to envision him gliding in for a casual 2-handed jam after a steal because Hoo fans have seen it so many times.

The offensive output is a sign of his development, though. With that performance against Morgan State, Beekman reached double figures for the 38th time in his career and for the 7th time in the last 8 games. That’s the best stretch of his career in terms of consistent scoring. Back in January and February of last season, he reeled off 7 double-digit scoring outings in a 10-game run beginning with Pittsburgh on Jan. 3 through the NC State game on Feb. 7.

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