A Late Virginia Spurt Sends the Top-Seeded Sooners to Sidelines

Richard Morgan scored 25 points, including two three-pointers in a late Virginia spurt, as the Cavaliers beat top-seeded Oklahoma, 86-80, in the NCAA Southeast Regional semifinal Thursday night.

Bryant Stith added 28 points as fifth-seeded Virginia, 22-10, dominated the backboards and the free throw line to advance to the regional finals.

Oklahoma, 30-6, became the first No. 1 seed to lose in the tournament. The Sooners were outrebounded, 38-26, including 17-9 on the offensive end, and made only eight free throws to Virginia’s 27.

Morgan, who entered the game with a tournament-leading 33-point average, made two 3-pointers in a 9-0 run that gave the Cavaliers a 78-72 lead with 3:11 remaining.

Oklahoma, behind Stacey King, had taken a 72-69 lead with 5:08 to play following an 8-0 run. King finished with 22 points, although he was frustrated much of the night by Virginia’s sagging defense.

After the Cavaliers went ahead 78-72, Skeeter Henry brought the Sooners within four on a drive in the lane. But John Crotty scored on a back-door layup and Stith made both ends of a one-and-one to give the Cavaliers an 82-74 lead with 1:02 left.

The Sooners got no closer than five after that as Virginia made all four of its free throws.