No. 9 Virginia cruises past SC State
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Charlottesville, VA (SportsNetwork.com) - Justin Anderson and Malcolm Brogdon scored 17 points each and No. 9 Virginia ran away with a 75-55 win over South Carolina State on Tuesday.
Anthony Gill added 11 points and eight rebounds and Mike Tobey scored 10 for the Cavaliers (3-0), who have won their first three games for the first time since 2008.
The victories over James Madison, Norfolk State and South Carolina State have come by an average of more than 25 points.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Karon Wright scored 15 points to lead the Bulldogs (0-3) while Gabe McCray had 12 and Greg Mortimer added 10.
South Carolina State coach Murray Garvin said his team looked better than it did in losses to Washington and San Francisco and "competed for 40 minutes with the No. 9 team in the country."
"I can coach that, and we can build off of that," he said. "We're not into moral victories in our program, but the way our young men fought for 40 minutes, and they were locked in and concentrated, I have to commend their effort for that."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Virginia shot 53.1 percent in the first half and held South Carolina State to just 22.7 percent shooting.
But the Cavaliers didn't take control until a 14-0 run stretched a five-point lead to 19 with four minutes left in the half. Brogdon scored six of his 10 first-half points during the flurry and Gill added five.
"It was good to get some work in," said Anderson. "It wasn't just a vacation out there, so we are still working hard."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Virginia took a 41-20 lead into the locker room at halftime and led by as many as 28 down the stretch.
Game Notes
Virginia plays George Washington on Friday ... South Carolina State is off until next Tuesday's game against Columbia International. The Bulldogs have lost their first three games by an average of almost 26 points.