NBA Draft Watch: College Basketball Game of the Day, February 11th (#8 Virginia at #4 North Carolina) Recap/Prospects of Note
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| Kyle Guy, Ty Jerome (right), and De'Andre Hunter (left) led Virginia to the win over North Carolina |
In one of the biggest regular season games of the season in the ACC, two top-10 teams in the country tangled together in a highly competitive matchup. The result was a 69-61 victory for Virginia on the road at North Carolina, bouncing back from a loss just a couple days prior to the other college basketball blueblood in the Tar Heel State to Duke.
Following the tip-off it was the Tar Heels who jumped out to an early 11-8 lead just past four minutes into the game, before the visiting Cavaliers took control over the next three minutes going on a 10-0 run, taking an 18-11 advantage with 12:43 in the first half.
North Carolina would come up with a few stops and create a couple of turnovers, while also making a couple 3-point shots to cut their deficit to 1 point at 19-18, with 9:01 left in the half. Though it was Virginia who maintained control of their lead and extended it to end the half, taking a 36-29 score into the locker room.
North Carolina would come up with a few stops and create a couple of turnovers, while also making a couple 3-point shots to cut their deficit to 1 point at 19-18, with 9:01 left in the half. Though it was Virginia who maintained control of their lead and extended it to end the half, taking a 36-29 score into the locker room.
Trading a couple of baskets to begin the second half, North Carolina gained momentum in the early minutes to regain the lead. Forcing a couple of turnovers by the Cavaliers with their defensive pressure and half-court trap, the Tar Heels went ahead 44-43 with 14:13 left to play after a steal led to an easy layup on the other end.
North Carolina would push their lead to 53-46 with 8:59 remaining, before Virginia battled their way back tying the score at 55 with 6:12 left to go — setting up a crucial stretch over the next five minutes.
With the score becoming tied twice again after the knot at 55, Virginia went ahead 61-59 with 3:12 to go in the game. Subsequently, the Cavaliers (also nicknamed the Wahoos or 'Hoos for short), would then sink a 3-point shot on back-to-back possessions between the 2:00 and 1:00 mark, providing the dagger into the hopes of North Carolina, giving Virginia a 67-61 lead.
In the tightly contested contest between two of the top teams in the country, there were at least a handful of players who possibly may be suiting up in the NBA next season. Those players having an overwhelming impact on the outcome of the game. Down below you may behold the band of prospects and how they performed individually.
- Garrison Brooks, North Carolina
The primary paint-presence for the Tar Heels had a positive performance more than holding his own against the formidable Virginia front-line. Brooks, a 6'9, 230 pound big, scored 12 points (shooting 5-8 from the floor), grabbing 8 rebounds, with 3 assists, and 1 steal, playing 32 minutes. He used his strong stature on multiple occasions to establish a solid position in the post and present himself him for passes from teammates which he converted at the rim.
Brooks battled on the block creating different angles allowing him to receive reliable positioning, holding off a defender to have a pass thrown over the top for an easy layup twice, sealing the post on a high/low entry feed for a 2-hand slam, and being able to establish position off a pin and post for a quick finish assisted by Colby White. He followed that on the next possession slipping a screen to scroll to the basket and catch a pass which led to him drawing a blocking foul while going up for a shot, then sinking both free throws.
The sophomore was pivotal in the second half run the Tar Heels went on, allowing them to take the lead. Playing disciplined defense out on the perimeter against Virginia guard Ty Jerome on one instance, he forced a contested shot from the corner which missed and then on the other Brooks came down to grab an offensive rebound — one of his 5 offensive boards — off a jump shot which didn't touch the rim, kicking out to an open man at the top of the key for a made 3.
Brooks followed that with another solid defense to offense sequence, when he came up with a steal, by way a half-court trap, and threw a pass ahead from the opposite free throw line for an assist on a layup by Cam Johnson.
Brooks battled on the block creating different angles allowing him to receive reliable positioning, holding off a defender to have a pass thrown over the top for an easy layup twice, sealing the post on a high/low entry feed for a 2-hand slam, and being able to establish position off a pin and post for a quick finish assisted by Colby White. He followed that on the next possession slipping a screen to scroll to the basket and catch a pass which led to him drawing a blocking foul while going up for a shot, then sinking both free throws.
The sophomore was pivotal in the second half run the Tar Heels went on, allowing them to take the lead. Playing disciplined defense out on the perimeter against Virginia guard Ty Jerome on one instance, he forced a contested shot from the corner which missed and then on the other Brooks came down to grab an offensive rebound — one of his 5 offensive boards — off a jump shot which didn't touch the rim, kicking out to an open man at the top of the key for a made 3.
Brooks followed that with another solid defense to offense sequence, when he came up with a steal, by way a half-court trap, and threw a pass ahead from the opposite free throw line for an assist on a layup by Cam Johnson.
- Cameron Johnson, North Carolina
A 6'9, 210-pound wing, Johnson played well on the evening particularly showing his skill-set offensively without having to force the action.
While a couple of hurried shot attempts in the waning seconds of the game, as North Carolina trailed by more than two possessions, muddled what was an efficient shooting percentage throughout the majority of the contest (finishing 6-14 from the field, 2-7 on 3-point shots), the senior showed he can score the basketball sufficiently for the majority of the matchup. Both creating his own shot and playing off the ball, putting up 16 points on the evening.
Johnson began his scoring on the night with a pretty fallaway jumper near the block off an effective flex cut for 2 points, before then sinking his two made 3-point shots on the evening later in the first half. He drained a catch and shoot 3 out past the wing about midway through the initial period and properly used a screen to flash to the top of the key for another catch and shoot trey later in the half.
Getting out in transition, Johnson scored twice on fastbreak layups, including one where he attacked the defense downhill making a quick dribble and change of direction before a slight euro-step that created contact on and-1 layup from the right side of the rim.
Later in the second half Johnson came up with a defensive rebound and on the opposite end caught the ball out near the left wing against Virginia defensive demon De'Andre Hunter, sizing him up with a triple-threat face-up and using fine footwork and one quick dribble to confidently elevate and drill a pull-up jumper just inside the 3-point line.
While he scored the ball with success, Johnson also exhibited his ability to get his teammates involved, not turning the ball over once and accounting for 3 assists. Included among his assists was a precise, pretty post-entry feed into Garrison Brooks over the top of the defense from the opposite wing.
The senior hurt his ankle a little more than midway through the second half but would return with a few minutes left in the game grabbing a couple offensive rebounds, of which he collected 4 in tallying 7 total boards on the evening.
While a couple of hurried shot attempts in the waning seconds of the game, as North Carolina trailed by more than two possessions, muddled what was an efficient shooting percentage throughout the majority of the contest (finishing 6-14 from the field, 2-7 on 3-point shots), the senior showed he can score the basketball sufficiently for the majority of the matchup. Both creating his own shot and playing off the ball, putting up 16 points on the evening.
Johnson began his scoring on the night with a pretty fallaway jumper near the block off an effective flex cut for 2 points, before then sinking his two made 3-point shots on the evening later in the first half. He drained a catch and shoot 3 out past the wing about midway through the initial period and properly used a screen to flash to the top of the key for another catch and shoot trey later in the half.
Getting out in transition, Johnson scored twice on fastbreak layups, including one where he attacked the defense downhill making a quick dribble and change of direction before a slight euro-step that created contact on and-1 layup from the right side of the rim.
Later in the second half Johnson came up with a defensive rebound and on the opposite end caught the ball out near the left wing against Virginia defensive demon De'Andre Hunter, sizing him up with a triple-threat face-up and using fine footwork and one quick dribble to confidently elevate and drill a pull-up jumper just inside the 3-point line.
While he scored the ball with success, Johnson also exhibited his ability to get his teammates involved, not turning the ball over once and accounting for 3 assists. Included among his assists was a precise, pretty post-entry feed into Garrison Brooks over the top of the defense from the opposite wing.
The senior hurt his ankle a little more than midway through the second half but would return with a few minutes left in the game grabbing a couple offensive rebounds, of which he collected 4 in tallying 7 total boards on the evening.
- Nasir Little, North Carolina
Little wasn't long for the game, coming in off the bench about five minutes into the contest before he suffered an apparent ankle injury going up for a steal as he battled for defensive position trying to front the post. A few possessions prior to his injury he had taken a two dribble pullup and settled for a mid-range jumper from the right wing, which fell off the mark.
The 6'6, 220-pound wing/forward wouldn't return following his injury, cutting into the depth at the wing spot for the Tar Heels which they could've used in going up against some of Virginia's combination of backcourt and frontcourt players. Having begun the season projected to be a top-5 pick by plenty, Little has had to work hard to maintain that perception in acclimating himself to the college game while coming off the bench as the sixth man for the Tar Heels, in playing about 20 minutes a game.
Little has seen an improvement in his play recently and still offered near double-digit scoring (9.8 points per game) despite his lack of overwhelming minutes. Yet, he likely is currently a possible lottery pick as opposed to being a probable top-5 or top-10 pick, if the draft were to occur today.
The 6'6, 220-pound wing/forward wouldn't return following his injury, cutting into the depth at the wing spot for the Tar Heels which they could've used in going up against some of Virginia's combination of backcourt and frontcourt players. Having begun the season projected to be a top-5 pick by plenty, Little has had to work hard to maintain that perception in acclimating himself to the college game while coming off the bench as the sixth man for the Tar Heels, in playing about 20 minutes a game.
Little has seen an improvement in his play recently and still offered near double-digit scoring (9.8 points per game) despite his lack of overwhelming minutes. Yet, he likely is currently a possible lottery pick as opposed to being a probable top-5 or top-10 pick, if the draft were to occur today.
- Luke Maye, North Carolina
Admittedly, it wasn't the best shooting night for the Tar Heel senior forward but that didn't disable him from having a positive impact on the game in other areas. Although he may have accounted for just 2 assists on the night, Maye made a number of fine, pinpoint passes to teammates throughout the game that could've easily upped his total number of assists and potentially have helped North Carolina narrow out a win in the end.
On two of the deliveries he dished to teammates that went unaccounted for, one happened as he dribbled towards the middle of the paint feeling a double-team coming while posted on the block and perfectly sliced the two defenders with a beautiful bounce pass to Cam Johnson that he missed on an initial attempt before getting fouled on a follow up as he gathered the offensive rebound. Maye later found Johnson for another open look, passing out of the post to find his senior teammate for an open 3-point shot on the opposite wing, which was unable to fall.
In the process of coming up with one of his assists on the evening, Maye made a perfect bounce pass into the post on a high/low action, which Garrison Brooks converted for a dunk (as mentioned earlier).
The 6'8, 240-pound prospect was also a strength on the glass, leading the game with 11 rebounds. Three of his boards occurred on the offensive end, including one where he followed his own miss on a drive to the rim with a two-handed tip in for one his made field goals on the evening. Maye also made a fluid, turnaround jumper from the block, accounting for his other made basket on the night.
On two of the deliveries he dished to teammates that went unaccounted for, one happened as he dribbled towards the middle of the paint feeling a double-team coming while posted on the block and perfectly sliced the two defenders with a beautiful bounce pass to Cam Johnson that he missed on an initial attempt before getting fouled on a follow up as he gathered the offensive rebound. Maye later found Johnson for another open look, passing out of the post to find his senior teammate for an open 3-point shot on the opposite wing, which was unable to fall.
In the process of coming up with one of his assists on the evening, Maye made a perfect bounce pass into the post on a high/low action, which Garrison Brooks converted for a dunk (as mentioned earlier).
The 6'8, 240-pound prospect was also a strength on the glass, leading the game with 11 rebounds. Three of his boards occurred on the offensive end, including one where he followed his own miss on a drive to the rim with a two-handed tip in for one his made field goals on the evening. Maye also made a fluid, turnaround jumper from the block, accounting for his other made basket on the night.
- Coby White, North Carolina
One game following tying his career-high with 33 points, Coby White was less effective offensively in the loss to Virginia, though he still he had his moments where he willed his way to put points on the boards for the Tar Heels.
Facing staunch defensive pressure from Virginia freshman guard Kehei Clark, who was inserted into the starting lineup, White found some difficulty in getting free from the 5'9 gnat of a defender, particularly in the first half. Give credit to Clark, who made it a point to stay in close proximity to White with or without the ball, as he kept him in check on the perimeter and out of the paint for the most part, also drawing a charge on a drive to the basket by the North Carolina point guard.
Despite the defensive attention he faced from Clark and the Cavaliers, White was aggressive offensively as needed for North Carolina. The 6'5, 185-pound point guard drained a deep 3-point shot out near NBA-range to give his team an early 9-8 lead in the first half. He would later sink another shot from distance on a handoff out past the left wing, showing a shooter's touch as his shot hit the rim, then bouncing up and in.
While Clark was able to do a well of a job keeping White from finding his way to the basket with regularity, the fab freshman did make his way into the lane for a few tough finishes throughout the course of the game. In the first half he made a strong drive down the left side of the lane from out past the arc, picking up his dribble to step through contact for a well-contested layup. The North Carolina point guard would later add another 2 points during the half on a fierce drive in transition, exhibiting excellent body control on a layup in transition as he attacked the chest of Virginia shot blocker Mamadi Diakite.
In the second half White had a couple of aggressive drives to the rim, showing a quick first step and decisive initial dribble, including a driving layup from out near the right wing, as well as another tough take from the same spot on the floor that drew a blocking foul — which he went to the free throw line and sunk both attempts. He would also add his third made 3-point basket of the game from out past the top of the key in the second half, freeing himself up on a give and go action with Cam Johnson.
For the game, White finished with 17 points (6-19 from the floor), 3 rebounds, and 2 assists, including finding Garrison Brooks on a pass from the corner to feed the big man on the block for a layup.
Facing staunch defensive pressure from Virginia freshman guard Kehei Clark, who was inserted into the starting lineup, White found some difficulty in getting free from the 5'9 gnat of a defender, particularly in the first half. Give credit to Clark, who made it a point to stay in close proximity to White with or without the ball, as he kept him in check on the perimeter and out of the paint for the most part, also drawing a charge on a drive to the basket by the North Carolina point guard.
Despite the defensive attention he faced from Clark and the Cavaliers, White was aggressive offensively as needed for North Carolina. The 6'5, 185-pound point guard drained a deep 3-point shot out near NBA-range to give his team an early 9-8 lead in the first half. He would later sink another shot from distance on a handoff out past the left wing, showing a shooter's touch as his shot hit the rim, then bouncing up and in.
While Clark was able to do a well of a job keeping White from finding his way to the basket with regularity, the fab freshman did make his way into the lane for a few tough finishes throughout the course of the game. In the first half he made a strong drive down the left side of the lane from out past the arc, picking up his dribble to step through contact for a well-contested layup. The North Carolina point guard would later add another 2 points during the half on a fierce drive in transition, exhibiting excellent body control on a layup in transition as he attacked the chest of Virginia shot blocker Mamadi Diakite.
In the second half White had a couple of aggressive drives to the rim, showing a quick first step and decisive initial dribble, including a driving layup from out near the right wing, as well as another tough take from the same spot on the floor that drew a blocking foul — which he went to the free throw line and sunk both attempts. He would also add his third made 3-point basket of the game from out past the top of the key in the second half, freeing himself up on a give and go action with Cam Johnson.
For the game, White finished with 17 points (6-19 from the floor), 3 rebounds, and 2 assists, including finding Garrison Brooks on a pass from the corner to feed the big man on the block for a layup.
- Mamadi Diakite, Virginia
A gametime-decision after suffering an injury in Virginia's previous game against Duke on Saturday, which left him unable to play in the second half, Mamadi Diakite came off the bench to provide the Cavaliers with some decisive minutes and production in the win against North Carolina. His play, particularly in the first half helped the 'Hoos to an early 36-29 lead after the first 20 minutes of action, as he scored all 6 of his points during the initial period.
The 6'9, 228-pound forward went right to work catching a pass in the post just off the left block before putting the ball on the floor leading into a fluid running right-hand jump hook in the lane over the outstretched hand of the defense, giving Virginia an 18-11 lead with 12:44 remaining to cap their 10-0 run. Later in the half, he would add another two points, setting a screen at the elbow to free teammate Ty Jerome for a pass, then quickly rolling to the rim for a lob from Jerome which he put down for a 2-hand alley-oop slam dunk. Diakite would then set another pick for Jerome on a subsequent possession, this time an on-ball screen, and roll open down the middle of the lane before receiving a pass which led to him drawing a foul — sinking both free throw attempts.
As much as he offered offensive support, it was on the defensive end where Diakite made his largest difference in keeping points off the board, coming up with 4 blocks in 23 minutes of action.
After allowing an offensive rebound to Garrison Brooks underneath the basket, the junior rim protector recovered quickly to swat away the opposing big man's attempt at the rim. In another one of his four rejections on the evening, Diakite displayed excellent timing and verticality, tossing a layup from Coby White back in his face after he got the best of the Virginia big man on another opportunity at the rim.
The 6'9, 228-pound forward went right to work catching a pass in the post just off the left block before putting the ball on the floor leading into a fluid running right-hand jump hook in the lane over the outstretched hand of the defense, giving Virginia an 18-11 lead with 12:44 remaining to cap their 10-0 run. Later in the half, he would add another two points, setting a screen at the elbow to free teammate Ty Jerome for a pass, then quickly rolling to the rim for a lob from Jerome which he put down for a 2-hand alley-oop slam dunk. Diakite would then set another pick for Jerome on a subsequent possession, this time an on-ball screen, and roll open down the middle of the lane before receiving a pass which led to him drawing a foul — sinking both free throw attempts.
As much as he offered offensive support, it was on the defensive end where Diakite made his largest difference in keeping points off the board, coming up with 4 blocks in 23 minutes of action.
After allowing an offensive rebound to Garrison Brooks underneath the basket, the junior rim protector recovered quickly to swat away the opposing big man's attempt at the rim. In another one of his four rejections on the evening, Diakite displayed excellent timing and verticality, tossing a layup from Coby White back in his face after he got the best of the Virginia big man on another opportunity at the rim.
- Kyle Guy, Virginia
Tying for a game-high 20 points, Guy went 5-9 from beyond the arc, including drilling the two 3-point baskets between the 2:00 and 1:00 mark that gave Virginia the win in the closing minutes of the contest.
The 6'2, 175-pound sharpshooter made the first of the back-to-back 3's, coming off a turnout screen that saw him streak to the corner and set his feet for a quick catch and shoot release. He followed that up moving without the ball to flare from the corner up to the wing, making himself available for another pass that led to a quick catch and shoot attempt that he saw go in as he was fouled on the shot. That would be his third made 3-point basket of the half, as he drilled an earlier shot from deep out past the top of the key, moving instinctively without the ball to get in position for an open attempt.
While Guy was lethal in lifting the top off the defense, he also made a few timely baskets from inside the arc in his 20-point performance. Spotting up in the corner, he made an appropriately timed cut to the basket along the baseline and received a pass which he converted into 2 points on a reverse layup on the other side of the basket from under the rim. He added another 2 points on a difficult running finish off the glass, as he dribbled from out past the arc with the defense closing out quickly to prevent him from putting up another 3 points on the board.
All game Guy was excellent in moving without the ball to free himself up for the five 3-point shots he saw go in and also cleverly took advantage of the defense's aggressiveness when overplaying him out on the perimeter.
The 6'2, 175-pound sharpshooter made the first of the back-to-back 3's, coming off a turnout screen that saw him streak to the corner and set his feet for a quick catch and shoot release. He followed that up moving without the ball to flare from the corner up to the wing, making himself available for another pass that led to a quick catch and shoot attempt that he saw go in as he was fouled on the shot. That would be his third made 3-point basket of the half, as he drilled an earlier shot from deep out past the top of the key, moving instinctively without the ball to get in position for an open attempt.
While Guy was lethal in lifting the top off the defense, he also made a few timely baskets from inside the arc in his 20-point performance. Spotting up in the corner, he made an appropriately timed cut to the basket along the baseline and received a pass which he converted into 2 points on a reverse layup on the other side of the basket from under the rim. He added another 2 points on a difficult running finish off the glass, as he dribbled from out past the arc with the defense closing out quickly to prevent him from putting up another 3 points on the board.
All game Guy was excellent in moving without the ball to free himself up for the five 3-point shots he saw go in and also cleverly took advantage of the defense's aggressiveness when overplaying him out on the perimeter.
- De'Andre Hunter, Virginia
Matching Kyle Guy for the game-high in scoring with 20 points in the win for Virginia, De'Andre Hunter was highly efficient on the offensive end and more than effective on the defensive end as well, solidifying his status as one of the best two-way prospects in the country.
The 6'7, 225-pound wing/forward was active on defense, collecting 5 rebounds, 1 steal, and a block, and had an impact in helping keep North Carolina to 35.4 percent shooting from the floor, displaying disciplined and deftly on-ball defense both out on the perimeter and in the post. His defense against North Carolina's Luke Maye played a large part in holding the senior forward to 4 points (on 2-10 shooting) as he worked for position defensively in the post against the 6'8, 240-pound senior and competitively contested his attempts whenever guarding him. Hunter came up with his sole block in the game, stepping out to check Coby White on the perimeter and tipping his 3-point shot, which fell short of the rim late in the game as North Carolina tried to cut into the Virginia lead with under a minute remaining.
Offensively, the redshirt sophomore was excellent when venturing out past the arc, as he made all three of his 3-point attempts on the evening. He made a couple of his shots past the arc moving well without the ball on a roll and replace action, once from the left wing and another past the top of the key for 3.
Hunter worked all three levels of the floor offensively, scoring on a strong pivot move in the post from in front of the rim and converting on another shot near the rim when he set a screen on an in-bounds underneath the Virginia basket, before establishing position on the block to make himself open to receive a pass for which he raised up quickly with to drop in a sure 2-hand layup. He would quell the North Carolina run in the second half on a triple-threat face up from the top of the key before putting the ball on the floor and elevating to make an under-control mid-range step back jumper near the left elbow.
Hunter would again exhibit the ability to create his own shot, though rather than pulling up for a look from mid-range, making a determined drive to the basket from out past the top of the key to step through the defenders for a finish on the left side of the hoop. Also presenting his awareness as a passer, he found teammate Jay Huff near the basket for an and-1 finish on a drive to the paint during the seconf half — putting Virginia ahead 61-59 with 3:12 to go in the game.
With the way he played Hunter most certainly looked the part of a prized prospect, displaying the versatility both offensively and defensively that should have him selected as lottery pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
The 6'7, 225-pound wing/forward was active on defense, collecting 5 rebounds, 1 steal, and a block, and had an impact in helping keep North Carolina to 35.4 percent shooting from the floor, displaying disciplined and deftly on-ball defense both out on the perimeter and in the post. His defense against North Carolina's Luke Maye played a large part in holding the senior forward to 4 points (on 2-10 shooting) as he worked for position defensively in the post against the 6'8, 240-pound senior and competitively contested his attempts whenever guarding him. Hunter came up with his sole block in the game, stepping out to check Coby White on the perimeter and tipping his 3-point shot, which fell short of the rim late in the game as North Carolina tried to cut into the Virginia lead with under a minute remaining.
Offensively, the redshirt sophomore was excellent when venturing out past the arc, as he made all three of his 3-point attempts on the evening. He made a couple of his shots past the arc moving well without the ball on a roll and replace action, once from the left wing and another past the top of the key for 3.
Hunter worked all three levels of the floor offensively, scoring on a strong pivot move in the post from in front of the rim and converting on another shot near the rim when he set a screen on an in-bounds underneath the Virginia basket, before establishing position on the block to make himself open to receive a pass for which he raised up quickly with to drop in a sure 2-hand layup. He would quell the North Carolina run in the second half on a triple-threat face up from the top of the key before putting the ball on the floor and elevating to make an under-control mid-range step back jumper near the left elbow.
Hunter would again exhibit the ability to create his own shot, though rather than pulling up for a look from mid-range, making a determined drive to the basket from out past the top of the key to step through the defenders for a finish on the left side of the hoop. Also presenting his awareness as a passer, he found teammate Jay Huff near the basket for an and-1 finish on a drive to the paint during the seconf half — putting Virginia ahead 61-59 with 3:12 to go in the game.
With the way he played Hunter most certainly looked the part of a prized prospect, displaying the versatility both offensively and defensively that should have him selected as lottery pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
- Ty Jerome, Virginia
While Kyle Guy and De'Andre Hunter had a huge impact on the win for Virginia, no individual on the floor was more impressive than Ty Jerome, from my observation. Despite dealing with tightness in his back Jerome played 37 of the 40 minutes in the contest and compiled a double-double, ending with 15 points, and 11 assists (against just 2 turnovers), while alo adding 4 rebounds.
Staying poised as the primary ball-handler for the Cavaliers, the 6'5, 195-pound junior made a number of plays throughout the evening, including having a hand in a number of baskets made by his aforementioned teammates. Getting started with back-to-back assists, Jerome tightroped the baseline before finding Kehei Clark in the corner for an open 3 and followed that off a steal by Clark to find Kyle Guy in the opposite corner for a 3-point make, giving Virginia an early advantage of 8-6 with 17:26 in the first half.
Coincidentally, he would close the game with assists on back-to-back 3's, again, finding Guy both times as the Cavaliers went up 67-61 with 1:10 left in the game.
In between those two timestamps Jerome was just as impactful, often collapsing the defense on drives before kicking out to his teammates for quality, in-rhythm looks at the basket. Flipping an accurate over the shoulder feed to Hunter for one of his made 3-point baskets on a drive to the rim, the Virginia guard also drew the defense in before finding Hunter again on another trey, as well as making an underhand toss to Guy, giving him an open look from 3 just out past the top of the key.
Not only getting penetration to make passes out to the perimeter, Jerome made an on-point lob pass to big man Mamadi Diakite which he slammed home to complete the alley-oop attempt and found Guy cutting to the basket for a reverse layup, as he drove down the left side of the lane.
In addition to his playmaking ability setting up his teammates, Jerome did himself justice in putting points on the board for Virginia in a multitude of ways. He made a couple of tightly contested scooping one hand floaters — one from each side of the basket on drives to the paint — that he perfectly placed high off the glass before they dropped in the basket.
Setting up a drive to the basket off a slight hesitation and in-between the legs dribble, Jerome added another floater, this time getting into the middle of the lane for a shot that found the net without any assistance.
When he wasn't getting into the heart of the defense to create offensive action, the junior just as effectively worked his way outside, sinking two 3-point baskets (2-3 on 3-pointers), including one in transition off a steal and serve from De'Andre Hunter that tied the game at 55 with 6:12 remaining — after Virginia had to battle back once relinquishing their seven-point lead at halftime.
All in all, Ty Jerome was excellent on the evening in leading his team to a wonderful win on the road against a top-10 opponent in North Carolina and outplaying a potential top-10 pick on the other side in Coby White. Taking nothing away from White, Jerome justified why he should be considered a potential first-round pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.
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