CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Knowing the challenge Miami would face against the nation's top defensive team, coach Jim Larranaga prefaced to his team before Monday night's matchup with Virginia that the first team to score 50 points would win the game.
Larranaga was right.
Miami overcame dreadful shooting to outduel No. 18 Virginia 54-48 in overtime on Monday night at John Paul Jones Arena.
The one saving grace for the Hurricanes despite their shooting struggles was the Cavaliers' even poorer performance on the offensive end, a trend that is becoming too familiar for Virginia fans.
"The way teams match up and the way you play offense and defense, it's really challenging against Virginia," Larranaga said. "You have to be good at the half-court level and their (Virginia) half-court defense is good. We felt like we are good defensively, not as good as they are, but we are good as well."
Virginia was held to 32 percent from the field after shooting 27 percent in a loss to North Carolina on Saturday.
Miami (19-8, 9-6 ACC) got 14 points from guard Bruce Brown and 10 points apiece from DJ Vasiljevich and Kamari Murphy.
On a night where former Virginia standout Malcolm Brogdon had his No. 15 retired, Virginia (18-9, 8-7) was desperate for some of his past performances. Devon Hall led the way with 15 points and Isaiah Wilkins had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
"It was there for the taking, and we didn't," Virginia coach Tony Bennett said. "They did, and they made some tough plays."
The Cavaliers missed the front end of one-and-ones on three straight occasions late in the second half, allowing Miami to stay in the game after Virginia used a 12-0 run to take their largest lead of the game of nine midway through the final 20 minutes.
Virginia was just 13 of 20 from the free-throw line after starting the game 9 of 9.
"That has cost us, more than one game," Bennett said of his team's free-throw woes. "Those were three front ends of the bonuses that we missed and you can't do that."
Miami made 20 of 22 from the line, including four in overtime to put Virginia away.
"In the second half, I thought the pace would pick up some and it did for them until there was about seven minutes left," Larranaga said. "I think our defense tightened up and we played a smaller group that worked effectively."
NOTES:
-- Miami G Ja'Quan Newton is serving the third of his three-game suspension for a violation of team rules.
-- Six of the eight former Virginia basketball players who have had their numbers retired were in attendance.
-- Malcolm Brogdon scored 24 points in Virginia's 73-68 win over Miami in last season's ACC Tournament.
-- Virginia is in the midst of its first four-game losing streak since the 2009-10 season.
-- Miami coach Jim Larranaga is the 14th winningest coach in the country.
