JIMMY V CLASSIC
Virginia 107 Tennessee 89
The opening game of the Jimmy V Classic took place inside Meadowlands Arena, but it might as well have been played on the New Jersey Turnpike.
Virginia and Tennessee flew around at 100 miles per hour, struggled to get anywhere and were cited for more violations than a criminal in a Corvette. It was a mistake-filled contest that looked little like a showdown between two of the premiere teams in the country.
Still, No. 14 Virginia upset No. 4 Tennessee 107-89.Virginia point guard Donald Hand controlled the game for the Cavs, scoring a game-high 21 points and dishing out nine assists.
For the Paterson, N.J., native it was a homecoming and his cheering section was at least 50 strong and in full voice.
“I knew this game was up to me,” Hand said. “I had to control the tempo. I couldn’t let this become a vacation. I had to make it a business trip.”
Both teams failed to live up to their billings, but the Volunteers looked particularly overrated after turning the ball over 19 times and shooting just 29 percent from 3-point range. The Vols also were outrebounded 43-36 by a team with no starter taller than 6-foot-8.
Virginia (7-0) used full-court pressure to stymie the Vols (9-1), who failed to get into a rhythm all night. Isiah Victor led them with 20 points.
“[Virginia] was especially good in the first half,” Tennessee coach Jerry Green said, “and I felt it was the first time in a while that we were walking on eggshells, I guess you could say.
“We weren’t really digging in like we have so many times the last two years.”
Virginia took a 22-point lead twice in the second half. The Vols continued to chip away and cut the lead to 13 with 14:36 left when Hand nailed the second of consecutive 3-pointers to put the Cavs back up 74-57.
Tennessee got to within 10 with less than three minutes left, but a Keith Friel 3-pointer and Roger Mason putback ended the rally.
“The offense had been struggling,” Mason said. “We needed to make something happen and I was in the right place at the right time.”
Both teams favor the open-court, transition game and the referees struggled to keep up with the pace. They called a whopping 61 fouls and the game lasted about 2½ hours.