Gillen Pleased With Cavaliers' Victory Over Gardner-Webb

Coach Pete Gillen said he was grateful for the victory.

"When your best player scores two points and gets injured and Todd Billett and Devine Smith combine for nine points," Gillen said, "you have totake it and run."

Senior forward Travis Watson, averaging 14.3 points per game, was scoreless in the first half and finished with two points. He leftthe game with 16:35 left after spraining his right ankle and didnot return.

Watson is listed as doubtful for Virginia's game at Rutgers onSaturday.

The two outscored the Cavaliers' starters, who accounted for 24points. Vander Laan also had a team-high eight rebounds.

Byars, who sparked Virginia for the second straight game, saidthe team appeared "a bit low out there tonight."

"I was just trying to be an energy booster and spark things offthe bench," he said.

Virginia (5-2) led 36-25 at the half but the Runnin' Bulldogs(1-6) refused to go away. They cut the lead to 49-46 with 9:54 lefton a 3-pointer by Tim Beherendorff, who led Gardner-Webb with 18.

Gardner-Webb trimmed the lead to 4 twice in the final minute,but Virginia converted five of its final six free throws and got asteal and dunk by sophomore forward Jason Clark to hang on.

Virginia shot 39.7 percent from the field and was outreboundedby the smaller Runnin' Bulldogs, 41-40.

Virginia opened the game by missing 14 of its first 20 shotsfrom the floor and shot just 35.3 percent from the field for thehalf.

Senior forward Travis Watson, averaging 14.3 points per game,was scoreless in the first half and finished with 2 points. He leftthe game with 16:35 left after spraining his right ankle and didnot return. He is doubtful for Virginia's game at Rutgers onSaturday.

Gardner-Webb Coach Rick Scruggs chalked up the loss as alearning experience for a team starting only its third year inDivision I.

"We cannot emulate that kind of quickness and strength.Hopefully, we can knock of one of these guys soon," Scuggs said.

Byars, a 6-foot-7 freshman, led 16 Tuesday night to lead theCavaliers past East Tennessee State, 84-76.