White’s late dunk lifts No. 15 Virginia to comeback win
Jacari White delivered a spark off the bench, scoring 19 points and throwing down a go-ahead dunk with 1:12 remaining to lift No. 15 Virginia to a 61-58 comeback victory over Florida State on Tuesday night.
White, an Orlando native, shot 5-for-9 from beyond the arc in his return to the Sunshine State. The Cavaliers (21-3, 10-2 ACC) closed the game on an 11-0 run to secure their fifth straight win. In 21 minutes of action, White produced his highest scoring output in ACC play this season.
Florida State (11-13, 3-7 ACC), which entered the game riding a three-game winning streak, was led by Lajae Jones’ 21 points and season-best 13 rebounds. Robert McCray V added 20 points in the loss.
Thijs De Ridder put Virginia ahead 61-58 on a short jumper with 25 seconds left. Jones and McCray both had chances to tie the game from 3-point range but missed, as the Seminoles failed to score over the final 4:54.
De Ridder finished with nine points and nine rebounds, helping Virginia control the glass with a 47-37 rebounding advantage. The Cavaliers’ bench made a major impact, outscoring Florida State’s reserves 32-10.
Neither team shot particularly well, though Virginia found its rhythm late. The Cavaliers shot 38% from the field and 10-of-33 (30%) from deep but still earned their 10th win in the past 11 games. Florida State shot just 29% overall and 6-of-33 (18%) from beyond the arc after building a 54-45 lead with 8:22 remaining before going cold down the stretch.