Stith Comes Through for Virginia Against Siena

Bryant Stith knows his role on the Virginia basketball team, and he played it to perfection Friday.

“I always like to be the one who comes through for the team,” he said. “And today I felt good.”

The 6-foot-5 junior capped a 33-point performance by sinking four free throws in the final eight seconds as the 18th-ranked Cavaliers rallied for an 80-77 victory over Siena in the opening game of a Great Alaska Shootout.

“Bryant Stith just took over,” Virginia Coach Jeff Jones said. “I wish our guys would have started going to him sooner.”

Stith scored 23 in the second half, including 11 straight Cavalier points during one stretch, as Virginia rallied from a seven-point deficit.

Marc Brown scored 31 for Siena, including five three-pointers.

Virginia, in its first game under Jones, trailed most of the first half, but came back to take a 43-41 lead at intermission.

“Siena did a tremendous job scouting us,” Jones said. “They played us probably exactly the way we would play ourselves.”

But Jones switched to a motion offense in the second half, and that opened the way for Stith to get some one-on-one matchups.

Siena outscored the Cavaliers 17-6 to start the second half to move ahead 58-51.

But Stith scored 11 consecutive Virginia points and 13 of his team’s 15 to narrow the lead to 64-62 with 8:42 remaining.

He sank a 3-pointer and was knocked to the floor as the ball went in with 4:09 remaining. Stith made the free throw and the Cavaliers were on top 70-69. Stith said it was his first four-point play.

“I didn’t even know it went in until the crowd started cheering,” he said.

The game was tied two more times before the Saints took a 77-76 lead on Bruce Schroeder’s 3-pointer from the corner with 15 seconds to play.

But Schroeder fouled Stith seven seconds later, and two free throws gave Virginia the lead for good.