#18 Virginia picks up gritty 49-37 win over Wisconsin in ACC/Big Ten Challenge

Well, it was a rock fight, just as everyone expects when Virginia and Wisconsin get together. The newly #18 Virginia Cavaliers (7-0) picked up a big win over the Badgers (3-4) and earned the ACC a point in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge as Kyle Guy (17 points) and Devon Hall (16 points) led the way offensively. Isaiah Wilkins chipped in 10 rebounds in the victory.

The Hoos shot 38% from the field for the game and 21% from three as they held Wisconsin to just 31% shooting (15% from three). Ethan Happ led the Badgers with 14 points and eight rebounds.

Guy and Hall combined for the first 12 points for the Hoos as Virginia led by as many as eight in the first half. Virginia shot 38% from the field in the first half, including 29% from three, but six turnovers and six fouls let the Badgers climb back in and make it a 24-20 game at the half.

Hall went a perfect 4-for-4 from the field in the first half, but only played four minutes due to foul trouble. Ty Jerome, Isaiah Wilkins, and De’Andre Hunter all made one bucket in the first half, and the Hoos shot no free throws.

Wisconsin started the game 0-for-7 from three before Aleem Ford made two back-to-back and pulled the Badgers within four. D’Mitrik Trice led the Badgers with eight points on 4-for-10 shooting (0-for-3 from three), and superstar big man Ethan Happ was held to just four points and one rebound in the first half. The Virginia defense was outstanding, holding Wisconsin to 33% shooting and generally making life miserable for the Badgers.

Guy opened up the second half with a bucket - giving him his sixth double-digit game of the season - and hit two more before the under-16 timeout to give the Hoos a 34-26 cushion.

Virginia went on a 12-0 run over the span of 7:28 to build a 16 point lead. In that time, five different Cavaliers - Jerome, Guy, Diakite, Hall, and Salt - all hit jumpers. The Hoos hit a dry spell of their own, however, going 6:37 before Hall hit a huge three. In that span, the Badgers were able to close within nine points with 4:50 remaining in the game.

MVP

Jack Salt had a tremendous game with four points, eight rebounds, one block, one steal, and the unenviable task of guarding Wisconsin’s Ethan Happ for long stretches. He went 2-for-2 from the field and played with intensity without fouling (tons) in 30 total minutes. If he can contribute like this...those are solid minutes.

Shoutouts

-The halftime act did a bunch of tricky handstands which is impressive enough, but he had a dog doing tricks with him, which I’m 100% here for.

-Wisconsin’s Brad Davison is one tough dude. He landed hard, popped his shoulder out of socket, had the doc pop it back in, then came right back to the bench.

-Hoos have now won four straight games in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.