CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - J.R. Reynolds' driving layup with 1.5 seconds remaining in overtime gave No. 25 Virginia a 79-77 victory over Loyola Marymount on Thursday night.<br>
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Elton Brown scored 25 points for the Cavaliers (8-1), while Sean Singletary added 12, including a key 3-pointer in overtime. T.J. Bannister had 11 points for the Cavaliers, who were playing their first game since Dec. 8 because of an exam break.<br>
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Matthew Knight led Loyola Marymount (7-3) with 27 points.<br>
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Virginia led 77-73 with 40 seconds remaining in overtime and appeared in control of the game. But Dustin Brown hit a jumper to make it 77-75 and then Wes Wardrop stole the ball from Reynolds and sped in for a layup to tie it with 13 seconds remaining. <br>
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Loyola Marymount led 65-60 with 3:14 remaining but the Cavaliers rallied to tie the game at 67 and force the overtime.<br>
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Devin Smith, the Cavaliers' leading scorer entering the game with an 18.1 average, finished with 12 points after leaving the game with 12:26 remaining with an apparent ankle injury.<br>
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Loyola Marymount twice led by as many as eight points in the first half, including a 24-16 lead with 8:05 left. The Cavaliers finished the half with an 18-4 run to take a 34-28 lead.<br>
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Reynolds, who scored seven points, sparked the spurt with a 3-pointer that made it 24-21 with 7:01 left. Moments later, Reynolds gave Virginia a 29-24 lead when he converted an alley-oop pass from Bannister. Donte Minter capped the run and the half with a layup just before the buzzer for the six-point lead. <br>
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Virginia played without starting power forward Jason Clark, who stretched a ligament in his Achilles' tendon during the layoff.
