The hopes of the 13th-ranked Cavaliers failed amid 16 for 48 shooting (33.3 percent), including 4 for 17 on three-pointers (23.5 percent), in a game they never carried. They also committed a dozen turnovers, making this Virginia’s first game in double digits in the last 12.
“I think they’re a good defensive team,” Virginia Coach Tony Bennett said of the fourth-seeded Blue Devils. “They are really together. Their height and their athleticism is real, and I think sometimes it speeds us up, and sometimes we rush it.”
Junior guard Reece Beekman led Virginia with 12 points but committed a team-high four turnovers. Freshman guard Isaac McKneely scored 10 points and was the only other Cavaliers player to reach double figures in Virginia’s second-lowest points of the season.
Jeremy Roach (Paul VI) finished with a game-high 23 points by going 7-for-12 from the field, and Filipowski, a standout freshman, added 20 points and 10 rebounds to push the 21st -ranked Blue Devils (26-8) to their 22nd ACC tournament championship, the most in conference history. Duke has won nine straight since falling in overtime on Feb. 11 in Charlottesville.
Virginia got within 49-43 with 3:05 minutes remaining with McKneely’s three. But the Blue Devils answered with a Roach three-point play before Kihei Clark’s steal led to Beekman’s fast-break layup with 1:46 left.
Clark’s layup brought the Cavaliers within 52-47, and Beekman’s layup after Filipowski made 1 of 2 foul shots cut Duke’s lead to 53-49 with 46 seconds left. The Blue Devils sealed the result by sinking six consecutive free throws in the final 40 seconds.
A 10-2 run by Duke gave the Cavaliers their biggest win at that point, 36-22, with 14:34 left in the second half. Roach ended the run with a three-pointer. But Virginia fought back with a three-point play by Kadin Shedrick, who made a layup and drew a third foul on Filipowski. Jayden Gardner followed with a dunk off an Armaan Franklin pass to cut the deficit to 36-27, forcing first-year Duke coach Jon Scheyer to call a timeout.
The loose ballhandling in the first half caused the Cavaliers to trail 24-17 at halftime. Virginia committed seven turnovers in the first half after accumulating six total in each of the previous two games.
“Obviously we want to win that, but we’re playing for something bigger,” McKneely said. “So we’ll take the next few days to rest and then get right back. … The shot wasn’t going to fall like the last two games, but I knew that when we got into the [NCAA tournament] we are ready.”
Here’s what else to know about Virginia’s loss:
Duke’s length in the frontcourt confused the Cavaliers for most of the game, leading to Virginia managing just 20 points in the paint. The lack of production was in stark contrast to the teams’ first meeting, when the Cavaliers produced 42 in a 69-62 overtime victory at John Paul Jones Arena. Virginia scored 40 points in the paint during Friday’s quarterfinals, 76-56 victory over third-seeded Clemson.
The combination of Filipowski and center Dereck Lively II, both 7-footers, prevented Virginia from finishing at the rim except occasionally. Often, the Cavaliers have to settle for contested jumpers.
“Obviously we’re different without it [injured starter Ben Vander Plas], so we’re going to have to adjust to that, but I think they’re checking on Jayden,” Bennett said. “And when Reece or Kihei or Armaan got into the lane, they were there.”
Clark’s shooting slump continued against the Blue Devils, who limited Virginia’s third-leading scorer to a 1-for-9 showing from the field. Clark finished with six points and three turnovers and shot 14-for-55 over the past seven games.
Clark is seeking its first ACC tournament championship in a highly decorated career that includes the 2019 NCAA title and three regular-season conference crowns.
Virginia is scheduled to travel back to Charlottesville shortly after the ACC title game and watch the NCAA tournament selection show together Sunday at John Paul Jones Arena, athletic department officials said.
The Cavaliers are projected for a No. 4 seed and could return to Greensboro for the round of 64. Some projections have Virginia in Albany, NY, or Orlando for the first week.
“The effort is there, it’s a good experience to be involved in, and we’re going to use it,” Bennett said. “Absolutely learn from it and get ready to play” in the NCAA tournament.