Evans a bright spot during Cavaliers' two-game skid

CLEMSON, S.C. — For the second straight game, “Bubsanity” was one of the few bright spots in a Virginia loss.

Jontel “Bub” Evans scored a team-high 17 points in UVa’s 60-48 setback at Clemson on Tuesday night.

The junior point guard was an impressive 8 of 11 from the field and also had four rebounds and three assists (plus three turnovers) in 33 minutes.

“He’s improving, he really is,” said Virginia coach Tony Bennett, whose team will try and snap a two-game slide when it hosts Maryland on Saturday. “He’s making pretty good decisions and he’s so powerful and quick that he can get into the lane, and he’s worked on his touch and trying to create.”

In the loss at North Carolina on Saturday, Evans — who has been maligned for his lack of offensive punch — scored four straight baskets to give Virginia a first-half lead.

On Tuesday, he scored three straight hoops in the second half — a string of seven points — to keep Virginia close.

However, the Wahoos wound up being done in by their 18 turnovers.

“I’m just taking what the defense gives me and trying to be smart out there and not trying to force shots,” said Evans, who attempted the team’s only free throw of the night, part of a 3-point play that pulled Virginia to within three points with 7:52 remaining.

After the game, Bennett joked that UVa may have found its third scorer, if only it had possessed a second.

The most impressive part of Evans’ offensive emergence has been his ability to either finish in the lane or to pull up a few feet before the rim and knock down floaters. All of his points against Clemson came on drives to the basket or on short shots in the paint.

“The guy is quick as lightning out there with the ball,” said sophomore guard Joe Harris. “The guy can get to the cup on anybody...

“I feel like this year a lot more teams honor his jumpshot, which allows him to get to the rim on people.”

Evans, who didn’t commit any turnovers in the second half against the Tigers, said nobody was getting down on themselves after the loss.

“We just have to stick together,” he said. “I mean you win some and you lose some, you know? You get to play a game and that’s the best thing about sports.

“We have to come back to practice on Thursday and just attack it.”

The mentality has certainly worked well for Evans lately.