Wahoowa! UVA Hoops Beats Duke to Stay Red Hot as Hoos Fans Everywhere Rejoice

February 29, 2020
Jay Huff dunking the basketball during a game

Durham, North Carolina, native Jay Huff threw down several ferocious dunks on his hometown school. (Photo by Matt Riley, UVA Athletics)

“U-V-A! U-V-A!” the fans chanted at deafening decibels after Jay Huff’s game-saving block in the final seconds.

Yes, as University of Virginia associate men’s basketball coach Jason Williford likes to say, it was a good day to be a Hoo.

On Saturday night, the defending national champions defeated archrival Duke, 52-50, in front of a sold-out crowd at John Paul Jones Arena.

The victory was the sixth straight for the Hoos, who had already clinched a double-bye in the ACC Tournament.

The energy in JPJ was off the charts even before tip-off – especially when fans got wind of Jack Salt’s presence. The former UVA big man, a key cog in last year’s championship team, mingled with media and fans.

When a hype video with highlights from last season’s NCAA championship featuring the Andy Grammer song “Back Home” was played, the crowd was at a fever pitch.

And UVA President Jim Ryan got in on the night’s fun, checking off one of his bucket list items.

Former UVA football player Juan Thornhill, who won a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs this season, was honored during the first timeout.

The game was back and forth until Huff – a Durham, North Carolina native – threw down two ferocious slams on his hometown school.

On the first, he pump-faked a Blue Devils defender out of his sneakers, then drove down the center of the lane and slammed it in one-handed. On the second, he reached behind his head and threw down an alley-oop that put the Hoos up 21-18 with less than four minutes to play in the half.

Huff also had six first-half blocks (yes, six!) as the teams went into the break tied at 25.

UVA trailed by as many as seven points in the second half before clawing back.

Huff dunked again, this time, backwards, before the Hoos forced Duke into a shot-clock violation and Braxton Key connected on a gravity-defying reverse layup to tie the game at 39 with under 10 minutes to play.

Down the stretch, there were several tense moments for Hoos fans.

Luckily, Huff – who finished with 10 blocks – was there to save the day.

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February 29, 2020

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