The Result: Third-ranked UVa trailed by 10 at the half as 10 of Louisville's 11 made field goals came from deep. The 18th-ranked Cards hit 62.5 percent of their 3-point attempts in the first 20 minutes but the Wahoos methodically walked them down in the second half. UVa held UL to 11.8 percent shooting from beyond the arc in what ended up being a 64-52 win. It was Virginia's fifth road victory against a ranked team, a first in the ACC, and moved the Cavaliers to 24-2 on the year with a 12-2 mark in league play.

The Turning Point: With 11:37 to go, Steven Enoch hit a 3-pointer that put Louisville up 47-43. Some 23 seconds later, Ty Jerome hit a jumper in the paint to cut the margin in half, part of what would eventually be a soul-crushing 19-5 run the rest of the way. Not only did the Cardinals score just five points the rest of the day but they made just two of their final 18 shots (11.1 percent).

The Stat That Tells the Story: How does UVa win a road game against a ranked team by double digits when Jerome and Kyle Guy combine to go 0-for-11 from deep? By dominating in the paint (38-4) and notching more blocks (seven) than the opponent had two-point field goals (five).

Wahoo of the Game: It's De'Andre Hunter. As Guy failed to a hit a 3-pointer for the first time in 25 games and Jerome struggled to score as well, Hunter was fantastic. Saddled with foul trouble and only playing seven minutes in the first half, he scored 19 points in the second and finished the game 9-for-11 from the field including a 2-for-2 day from deep and a 6-for-6 afternoon at the free-throw line. He also added four rebounds, two steals, and a block in 27 minutes, which made him hitting his final eight shots in a row all the more impressive. In short, he played like the NBA lottery pick he's likely to be this spring.

Not only did Hunter have a career day but Mamadi Diakite and Jay Huff were huge off the bench and any discussion of this game also has to focus on them. Diakite scored 14 points on 7-for-10 shooting and grabbed five boards in addition to his three blocks. His two-way ability was on display most of the day and in certain stretches he carried the Hoos. Huff, meanwhile, was a lightning bolt in the first half. He finished with 12 points on 6-for-8 shooting and grabbed seven boards in addition to blocking two shots. When UVa was struggling mightily in the first half, Huff's instant offense kept the Cavaliers afloat. He also had easily his best all-around game all year and, teamed with Diakite, gave a glimpse of what will be in the future. And though they didn't score it, Guy (who had a team-high eight rebounds) and Jerome (who had a team-high five assists) managed to impact the game in a variety of ways. It was also a consistent day from Kihei Clark, who failed to score but tallied five rebounds and four assists, though one of his (an alley oop to Huff with 8:21 left in the first half) was credited to Guy. All in all, UVa was able to withstand a Louisville onslaught from deep because the Wahoos were mentally tough and as the game wore on were more assertive on both ends of the floor.

The big picture might look more favorably on this win than most would think. On a day when the Cards couldn't miss from deep early and its best shooter wasn't hitting, Virginia just kept plugging. The Cavaliers made the most of their advantage at the rim and just kept going there time and time and time again. The tweaks they made to their offensive sets to counter UL's matchup 1-3-1 led to easy baskets, something the team has always struggled to find when 3s haven't falled. Watching them win a game in the paint and put together such a huge scoring margin inside was a distinct break from the norm for the Hoos. They also got 26 points from their bench, as role players stepped up in a myriad of ways and proved that, even on the road, the moment wasn't too big for them. Louisville has a lot of issues right now, especially in terms of keeping or regaining momentum in the second half. Virginia, on the other hand, has found its way through occasional offensive funks by sharpening the tools in its bag and making a case to be the nation's best. Now that they've made it through the most difficult portion of their schedule, there's a lot to like about the Cavaliers heading into what will likely be a program-defining March.

JOIN CAVSCORNER TODAY!

If you are not already a member of CavsCorner, come join us and see what all of the buzz is about.

Click HERE to subscribe and get all of the latest news and join hundreds of other UVa fans in talking about Cavalier football, basketball, and recruiting. You won't be disappointed!