NEW YORK — Kyle Guy scored 18 points to lead Virginia to a 68-42 win over Vanderbilt in the first game of the 2017 Preseason NIT on Thursday in New York.
Ty Jerome added 14 points and Mamadi Diakite 12 for Virginia (5-0).
Matthew Fisher-Davis led the Commodores (2-3), who have lost two straight, with 11.
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Essentially, the game was decided in the opening 20 minutes. At the half, Virginia led 43-17. The Cavaliers made 17 of 32 shots from the field in the opening 20 minutes, including 7 of 12 from 3. They forced seven turnovers and limited Vanderbilt to 26.1 percent shooting.
The Commodores did not score until Larry Austin Jr. made a free throw 4:26 into the game, and did not make a field goal until Djery Baptiste’s half hook at 7:45. At those points, though, Vanderbilt had fallen behind by deficits of 8-0 and 15-1, respectively.
The second half was a virtual replay of the first. Vanderbilt could not navigate Virginia’s defense, and the Cavaliers’ ball movement routinely led to uncontested shots. On consecutive possessions early in the second half, Jerome knocked down wide-open 3s in front of the Cavaliers’ bench.
Virginia led by as many 39 points in the second half.
The Cavaliers finished 45 percent (27 of 60) from the field while limiting Vanderbilt to 23.1 percent (12 of 52).
The Commodores entered the game averaging 75.2 points per game and 73.0 points allowed. However, in their last two games - both losses - they have allowed No. 10 Southern California and Virginia to total 161 points, an average of 80.5.
Now in his 10th year at Virginia, the calling card for Tony Bennett’s teams has been their ability to dismantle opposing offensive attacks. Virginia has not ranked lower than 54th defensively under Bennett, and six of his teams finished in the top five nationally. Five games is a small sample size, but Virginia has yielded an average of 51.8 points per game.
With the loss, the Commodores fell to 5-2 all-time against Virginia.
The Cavaliers are averaging 74 points per game.
Vanderbilt plays the loser of the Seton Hall-Rhode Island in the consolation game Friday.
Virginia plays the winner of the Seton Hall-Rhode Island in the championship game Friday.
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