CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Kyle Guy scored 13 points to lead five Virginia players in double figures, and the No. 14 Cavaliers used strong perimeter shooting to beat East Carolina 76-53 on Tuesday night.
Virginia (8-1) had little trouble bouncing back from Saturday’s loss to then-No. 25 West Virginia. After trailing 16-15 with 9:26 remaining in the first half, the Cavaliers ended the period on a 27-4 run.
The spurt included seven straight made 3-pointers, with three coming from Guy.
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A former Mr. Basketball in Indiana, Guy was held out for the final 11:27 during the loss to the Mountaineers. He logged 21 minutes Tuesday, sparking Virginia’s early barrage from long range.
The Cavaliers finished 9 of 21 from beyond the arc, taking advantage of East Carolina’s 2-3 zone.
London Perrantes added 12 points and five assists for Virginia. Other double-digit scorers for the Cavaliers included Marial Shayok (12), Mamadi Diakite (12) and Jarred Reuter (10).
East Carolina (7-3) was led by Jeremy Sheppard’s 17 points.
It was East Carolina’s first game against a Power Five team this season. The Pirates entered John Paul Jones Arena searching for their first win over a ranked opponent since Dec. 30, 2002, when they beat then-No. 13 Marquette and Dwyane Wade. They’ve never defeated a ranked team on the road.
East Carolina, picked to finish seventh in the 11-team American Athletic Conference, is looking for its first winning season since 2012-13. It features three players averaging at least 12 points per game.
Coming off a competitive week that included games against West Virginia and Ohio State, the Cavaliers weren’t expected to be tested Tuesday. The game against the Pirates gave coach Tony Bennett another opportunity to work different combinations as the team continues its quest for an identity in the post following the Nov. 18 dismissal of Austin Nichols.
Virginia, after being outscored by a combined 26 points in the paint against the Mountaineers and Buckeyes, were plus-19 vs. East Carolina. A Dec. 21 road matchup with Ivan Rabb and California should reveal plenty about this team on the interior.
The Cavaliers are off until Dec. 17, when they host Robert Morris.
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