CHARLOTTESVILLE — Reece Beekman finished with 21 points, nine assists and six rebounds on Senior Night as Virginia cruised to a 72-57 victory over Georgia Tech on Sunday, closing out the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season.
The Cavaliers (22-9, 13-7) clinched the third seed and earned a double bye in the conference tournament at Capital Arena in Washington, as well as boosting their NCAA Tournament at-large chances. The Yellow Jackets (14-17, 7-13) tied Notre Dame for 12th place in the 14-team conference.
Georgia Tech and the Fighting Irish will square off to begin the first round Tuesday. Virginia will play on Thursday against No. 6 seed Clemson or the winner of the first-round game between No. 11 seed Boston College and 14th-seed Miami, should the Tigers lose in the second round.
Beekman made 8 of 10 shots from the floor, including three 3-pointers, for Virginia. He is the Cavaliers’ all-time leader in steals, picking up three more. Isaac McKneely sank four 3-pointers and scored 16 points. Taine Murray added 12 points and three assists off the bench. He hit 5 of 10 shots, including two from beyond the arc.
Baye Ndongo was the lone player to reach double figures for Georgia Tech, scoring 21 on 8-for-12 shooting. He had nine rebounds and five of the Yellow Jackets’ 12 turnovers.
Beekman had 13 points and five assists in the first half, and Virginia took a 38-24 lead into intermission. Kyle Sturdivant sank a 3-pointer to pull Georgia Tech even at 15 with 9:11 remaining, but UVA’s Blake Buchanan answered with a basket, Beekman hit 1 of 2 free throws and a 3-pointer, and the Cavaliers stayed in front after eight prior lead changes. Ndongo had 10 first-half points for the Yellow Jackets.
Georgia Tech got within nine early in the second half, but Murray buried a 3-pointer, Beekman followed with a dunk and Virginia led by double digits the rest of the way.
Virginia has been held to fewer than 50 points six times this season, its most since 1947-48 when it had eight. That wasn’t a problem Saturday at John Paul Jones Arena; the Cavaliers topped 50 on a Jordan Minor layup with 14:23 left to play.
