Charlottesville, VA (cvillerightnow.com): Virginia Basketball exited 2024 on a note that recently retired coach Tony Bennett would be proud of.  Bennett’s former assistant coach, and new Head Coach Ron Sanchez earned his first statement victory of his career leading the program over the NC State Wolfpack, 70-67 at John Paul Jones Arena.  The Wolfpack was a slightly different squad from the team that ended Virginia’s ACC tournament run last season.  However, Michael O’Connell and Jayden Taylor were members of the final team, and they played like it, with O’Conell bouncing around the court all game long, notching four assists and six rebounds, and Taylor putting up 14 points to lead his team, 50% from FG range AND 3-6 from 3-point range.  Stellar shooting allowed the Wolfpack to lead the way by 10 at the half, with the score at 39-29.   

 The lead ballooned to 14 as the second half began, and Virginia needed a hero.  Issac McKneely and Andrew Rohde had kept the Hoos in the game, but neither managed to light the game on fire with their play at that point.   

Then Elijah Saunders took the ball.  He put up seven unanswered points in 60 seconds, and with Rohde and McKneely marching behind him, the Hoos tied the game, holding onto the momentum most of the remaining game.  They led by eight with eight minutes left, but came up empty from field goal range for the final five minutes of the game, allowing State back into proceeding to cut the lead to three.  The Hoos needed to put the game away, and Elijah Saunders was once again at the right place at the right time.  He drew a 1-1, and converted it to pull the game out of reach.  He finished on 22 points, 7-8 from the line, and 7-9 from FG range, along with five assists and two rebounds. The Hoos’ first ACC win was special, and the crowd’s reaction reflected it. 

Ron Sanchez’s men will look to continue their charge into 2025 this Saturday, January 4th at John Paul Jones Arena.  Tip off against the 6-3 Louisville Cardinals is at 4pm, and you can listen to the game on Newsradio WINA, and right here on Cvillerightnow.com, your home for the Virginia Sports Radio Network.