Virginia forward Anthony Gill (13) celebrates a Virginia goal against Coastal Carolina during his NCAA basketball second-round tournament game, Friday, March 21, 2014, in Raleigh.RALEIGH, N.C. - Anthony Gill scored 17 points to help No. 1 seed Virginia pull away late and beat Coastal Carolina 70-59 on Friday night, avoiding a historic upset in the NCAA tournament.
The Cavaliers, the top seed in the East Region, trailed by 10 in the first half and five at halftime to the 16th-seeded Chanticleers before pushing ahead for good with about 9 minutes left.
A No. 16 seed has never beaten a No. 1 since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, and the Cavs (29-6) ensured history would wait at least another year.
Evan Nolte came off the bench and hit two huge 3-pointers to help Virginia finally push away from the Big South champion Chanticleers (21-13), who were in the tournament for the first time in 21 years.
The game was tied at 47 before Nolte's 3s powered a 23-7 spurt that finally put the game away.