Solid Play Takes UVa-Wise Over Va. Intermont

January 10, 2006

Wise, Va. – In the best outing of the season, the UVa-Wise men’s basketball team put together two solid halves Tuesday night to earn the victory over Virginia Intermont. Zydrunas Rackauskas and Parker Gemmell hit for 19 points apiece to lead the Cavaliers over the Cobras, 84-69.

Rackauskas posted his career-highs for both points and rebounds on the evening. The freshman from Lithuania hit seven of 13 attempts for 19 points while snatching 15 rebounds. His 13 points and 11 caroms in the opening half put the Cavs in position to complete the victory.

Gemmell scored 16 of his 19 tallies in the second half while Jarred Soles added 14 points. Justin Sorensen had his best night inside with 12 points and seven boards with six assists coming from Joey Blackwell.

UVa-Wise (6-12/2-7 Appalachian Athletic Conference) jumped out to an early 9-2 lead in the opening three minutes and would never trail in the game.

Virginia Intermont (4-14/3-6 AAC) chipped away and pulled to within a single point, 20-19, only to see UVa-Wise scored the next nine points before a halftime tally of 36-28.

The Cobras’ Juan Ornelas scored five points to cut the lead to three points, 38-35, in the opening two minutes of the second stanza. Cavs’ three-pointers by Soles and Gemmell and a bucket from Seth Gibson pushed the margin back into double figures, 51-41, where it would remain the final 13:16 of the game. Gemmell laid the ball in once and Sorensen another time for the largest lead of the night of 19 points before taking away the 84-69 win.

Patrick Glenn paced Virginia Intermont with 21 points on nine of 14 shootings and seven assists. Adam Mefford and Michael Scorsome added 13 and 12 points.

The Cavs shot 56.9% (33 of 58) on the night and made 20 of 30 attempts in the deciding second half.

UVa-Wise will now be off until hosting King College Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m.