Virginia tops Maryland but loses two to injuries

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — The seventh-ranked Virginia Cavaliers passed their first big test of the season Wednesday, beating 21st-ranked Maryland 76-65 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge before 15,371 rowdy fans at the Xfinity Center.

However, another challenge for coach Tony Bennett and his team will take place in the coming days, as the Cavaliers (8-0) will have to deal with injuries sustained by forward Darion Atkins and guard Justin Anderson against the Terrapins.

Atkins took a hard fall to the court with 4:08 left in the first half. He did not return in the second half, and he walked gingerly to the team dressing room after the game.

Anderson, the team’s top scorer in the first seven games, took a tumble in front of the Maryland bench in the second half and was limited to 25 minutes.

“It was a bad fall on Darion’s part,” Bennett said. “He really got upended. He is moving real slow. I am sure he is (not) going to enjoy the bus ride (back to Charlottesville).”

Anderson, who was not made available to comment, finished with 16 points and six rebounds. He was one of four Virginia players who scored in double figures.

“I think Justin rolled his ankle,” Bennett said. “Obviously, (it is) two important players. That is why you are always ready on the bench. Hopefully we will get those guys back soon”.

“I think he will be fine,” Virginia reserve guard Marial Shayok, who had nine points and assists assists, said of Anderson. “I talked to him.”

And what about Atkins, who scored four points in nine minutes?

“Hopefully he will be ready to go on Saturday,” Shayok said.

Cavaliers guard Malcolm Brogdon had 17 points, and reserve center Mike Tobey added 14 points and six rebounds. Guard London Perrantes added seven assists for the Cavaliers, and forward Anthony Gill had 11 points and six rebounds, helping Virginia improve to 8-0 for the first time since 2003-04.

Maryland, held to two assists in the first half and six in the game, fell to 7-1 after breaking into the Top 25 on Monday.

The Terrapins were paced by freshman point guard Melo Trimble with 16 points and forward Jake Layman with 14. Freshman guard Dion Wiley had 12 points off the bench, and guard Richaud Pack added 11.

“I thought Jake played well,” Maryland coach Mark Turgeon said. “He was trying to be a leader. He is a big part of what we are trying to do.”

“It is part of the game. It happens,” Gill said of the injuries to Atkins and Anderson. “We fought through it. It wasn’t our best defensive game.”

The Cavaliers, who led by 12 at one point in the first half, took a 46-34 lead early in the second half on a basket by Anderson. Brogdon made a long jumper from the right wing as Virginia grabbed a 52-39 advantage with 11:40 left in the game.

A 3-pointer by Shayok made it 59-44, and a basket by Gill gave the visitors a 61-44 edge with about eight minutes to play.

Maryland pulled to within nine, but a fading 3-pointer by Brogdon built the lead to 70-56 with four minutes left to put the game out of reach.

“We have to be better defensively,” Turgeon said.

Anderson led or tied for the team lead in scoring in six of the first seven games and entered Wednesday with an average of 15 points. He attended Montrose Christian in nearby Rockville, Md., and originally committed to Maryland before former Terrapins coach Gary Williams announced his retirement in 2011.

Once again, Virginia won the battle of the boards, 34-22. The Terrapins made only 40 percent of their shots and had just three offensive rebounds, which pleased Bennett. The Cavaliers shot 53.1 percent.

The Terrapins were without guard/forward Dez Wells (16.2 points per game), who is expected to be sidelined four weeks due to a fractured wrist that was injured last week in a win against Iowa State. Maryland also played without forward Evan Smotrycz, who tweaked his ankle in a 95-77 home win Sunday against VMI.

It was the first time the teams met in nonleague play since Jan. 5, 1953. In the most recent matchup, Maryland