Box Score CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Norfolk State men's basketball team could not overcome its own foul trouble and Virginia's tight defense, as the Spartans fell to the Cavaliers, 66-56, on Monday night at John Paul Jones Arena.

The Spartans were unable to find their offensive rhythm, hitting a season-low 36.4 percent on 20-of-55 shooting. NSU took 15 more field goal attempts than the Cavaliers, who in turn had 21 more attempts at the free throw line.

Senior Pendarvis Williams led the Spartans with 12 points, while fellow seniors Malcolm Hawkins and Marese Phelps also scored in double figures with 10 each.

Virginia (9-3) hit 18-of-40 (45.0 percent) for the game and also connected on 27-of-39 from the charity stripe, including 19-of-27 in the second half.

NSU (8-5) had four players with at least four fouls, forcing the Spartans to mix and match lineups in both halves and gamble in the second trying to get the offense moving.

Despite the setbacks, NSU stayed with Virginia, as the Cavaliers needed a 20-5, nine-and-a-half-minute run in the second half to pull away from the Spartans. That broke a 32-32 tie, giving Virginia its largest lead of the game, 52-37. Norfolk State got as close as seven with 3:54 to go on Phelps' drive to the hole.

Down by six at the half, NSU forced several turnovers early in the second stanza to spark its offense in tying it up at 32-all. Norfolk State ended the night with just nine turnovers, compared to 12 for Virginia. The Cavaliers had the edge on the boards, 36-31.

They scored nine of the first 11 points of the game until Hawkins hit a fadeaway baseline for NSU's first field goal at 14:50. The Cavaliers went up by nine before Phelps got the roll on his drive to the basket and Williams hit a tough shot from the right side to cut UVA's lead to 17-12.

The Cavaliers went back up by double digits, 22-12, on a dunk by Darion Atkins, the only field goal for Virginia in a nearly eight-minute span. Williams cut the deficit to five on a trey from the right key and then got NSU to within three on a pair of free throws at 3:17 of the first half.

That despite Hawkins and seniors Anell Alexis and Riley Maye limited with two fouls each.

Akil Mitchell's putback with one second to go in the half sent Virginia into the locker room up by six, 32-26.

Justin Anderson led Virginia with 14 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Joe Harris added 12 points and seven boards, and Mitchell tallied eight points and seven rebounds.

Junior Jamel Fuentes posted nine points and four assists for NSU, while senior Brandon Goode added six points, seven rebounds, two blocks and two steals.

NSU will make the long trip to the state of Hawaii to face the University of Hawai'i on Dec. 30.