Stifling Cavaliers defense returns, as Virginia beats Providence 58-40 to win Legends Classic

Providence entered Tuesday night’s game averaging over 76 points per contest. After Virginia held the Friars to just 15 points in the first half, it became pretty clear that they would not be reaching their season scoring average.

Virginia’s defense was magnificent and, behind a combined 35 points from Jayden Gardner and Armaan Franklin, the Cavaliers defeated previously unbeaten Providence 58-40 on Tuesday night to claim the Roman Legends Classic Championship.

Providence scored five of the game’s first seven points, but the Cavaliers quickly took the lead for good on back-to-back threes from Armaan Franklin, who picked up right where he left off after matching a career-high with 23 points against Georgia on Monday night.

UVA’s defense held Providence without a point for nearly seven minutes. In that time, the Cavaliers went on a 13-0 run, powered entirely by their two transfers. Franklin and Gardner accounted for each of Virginia’s first 19 points. A layup by Reece Beekman in transition with 5:43 left in the first half was the first basket by a Cavalier not named Franklin or Gardner.

Franklin hit four threes in the first half and scored all of his 14 points before halftime, as he played just nine minutes in the second half due to foul trouble.

Virginia held Providence to 26.1% shooting in the first half and 23.5% shooting in the game, as the Cavaliers rarely gave the Friars any good looks. Providence also shot 3/22 from three-point range.

Franklin and Gardner combined for 24 of Virginia’s 30 first-half points, as UVA doubled up Providence with a 30-15 halftime lead.

The second half did not start well for Virginia, as Armaan Franklin and Kadin Shedrick both picked up their third fouls within the first two minutes of the second half. Providence scored the first four points of the half, but Kihei Clark, who was scoreless in the first half, drained a pair of three-pointers to replenish the Cavalier lead. Clark finished with 10 points and five assists in the game.

Foul trouble continued to plague Virginia and Providence was in the bonus with 11:46 remaining in the game. Noah Horchler, who led the Friars with 14 points, drained a three to cut the UVA lead to 11 points. Then, Armaan Franklin picked up his fourth foul on a charge and Malachi Poindexter fouled Brycen Goodine on a made-three pointer. The Friars went on a 13-2 run, including eight straight points to make it 42-36 with over 10 minutes still left on the clock.

Providence implemented a swarming full-court press on nearly every Virginia possession in the second half, even off of missed shots. The Cavaliers struggled to maintain their comfortable slow pace and turned the ball over 11 times in the second half.

Virginia responded well to the pressure after the Friars cut it to six points. Kadin Shedrick slammed home a putback to end UVA’s scoring drought and then Jayden Gardner made an and-one on a hook shot to put the Hoos back ahead by double digits.

Gardner and Shedrick both made several critical plays down the stretch to seal the victory for Virginia. Gardner was a perfect 4/4 from the field in the second half and scored 11 points after halftime. He recorded a double-double with 21 points on 8/9 shooting and 13 rebounds. Shedrick was a force to be reckoned with on the defensive end, despite playing with foul trouble for the second night in a row. He registered four of his five blocks in the second half.

Providence made just one of its final 18 field goals, as Virginia’s defensive pressure just refused to allow the Friars an open look at the basket. After cutting it to 42-36, Providence scored just four points in the last 10:49 of regulation.

Reece Beekman slashed to the rim and finished with a foul to put the Hoos up 54-40 with less than two minutes to go to put the nail in the coffin. Beekman finished with five points, seven assists, two blocks, and a steal.

The Hoos came to Newark and delivered two solid performances to win the Roman Legends Classic, the eighth non-conference tournament championship in the last nine seasons for UVA. More importantly, Virginia’s outstanding defensive effort in both games was a very encouraging sign for Tony Bennett’s Cavaliers moving forward.

With the win, UVA improves to 4-2 on the season. Virginia returns home to host Lehigh on Friday at 7pm.