BALTIMORE — On Friday night, Isaac McKneely was instrumental in leading Virginia to a 70-60 victory against Villanova during the Hall of Fame Series, scoring 23 points and achieving an impressive 100% shooting from beyond the arc with six successful 3-point attempts.

The Cavaliers, now 3-0 under the guidance of interim coach Ron Sanchez following the retirement of three-time national coach of the year, Tony Bennett, showcased their offensive prowess with McKneely setting the tone early.

McKneely hit his initial six shots of the match, which included four 3-pointers. During the second half, with 16:24 remaining, he netted the team’s 11th 3-pointer, giving Virginia a solid double-digit lead of 44-33 that they maintained for the rest of the game.

Furthermore, McKneely nailed his fifth 3-pointer, extending the lead to 58-45 with just over six minutes left. His sixth shot from downtown was even more impactful, resulting in a four-point play that pushed the Cavaliers ahead by 18 points.

In addition to McKneely, Andrew Rohde contributed 13 points, while rookie Jacob Cofie scored 12 points, marking his third consecutive game in double digits.

Eric Dixon emerged as the top performer for Villanova (2-3), scoring 20 points and securing eight rebounds, while Jordan Longino supported the effort with 10 points.

It’s noteworthy that Villanova had previously triumphed over Virginia in their last encounter on January 29, 2017, thanks to a last-second rebound tap-in by Donte DiVincenzo that resulted in a nail-biting 61-59 win.

Looking ahead, Virginia is set to face No. 11 Tennessee at the Baha Mar Hoops Championships in Nassau, Bahamas, on Thursday, while Villanova will host Pennsylvania on Tuesday.