By Andy Bitter

Published: March 24, 2008

CHARLOTTESVILLE — The Cavaliers were thinking overtime at best. Get a defensive stop, secure the rebound, hear the horn and win it in the extra five minutes.
Sean Singletary didn’t want to wait that long.
The guard had one of the more memorable final minutes of his illustrious career, banking in a game-tying 3-pointer before getting a steal and converting it into a three-point play with 4.3 seconds left to lift Virginia to a miracle 80-76 win against Old Dominion in the College Basketball Invitational’s second round Monday.
“I keep saying that everyone can have who they’ve got, and I’ll take Sean Singletary,” UVa coach Dave Leitao said of the senior, who scored eight of his team-best 22 points in the final 29.6 seconds. “He just continues to re-write a story that’s already a best-seller.”
Virginia (17-15) will host Bradley in the CBI semifinals on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Braves (19-15) beat Ohio on Monday to win the Midwest region.
Old Dominion (18-16) had the back-and-forth game all but locked up, taking a 74-70 lead when Gerald Lee hit a jumper from the free throw line with 1:12 left. Virginia missed a 3 at the other end and ODU grabbed the rebound, needing only a few free throws to put the game away.
But Brandon Johnson missed the front end of a one-and-one. Singletary came down and got fouled, making both free throws to pull UVa within 74-72 with 29.6 seconds to go.
Virginia immediately fouled ODU’s Brian Henderson, who scored a career-high 26 points. But the guard only made one of two from the line, giving UVa a shot, down by just three. Singletary took advantage, coming off a high screen and banking in a 3-pointer to knot things at 75 with 22.5 seconds remaining.
“I’d give him the same shot again,” ODU coach Blaine Taylor said. “He missed it so bad he made it.”
The Monarchs’ plan was to hold for the last shot, but just as Johnson neared the half-court line, he tried a crossover dribble to his right side. Singletary reached in and poked the ball away.
“He was real deliberate with his moves, and when he made a retreat dribble and I was playing him to one side, I knew he was going to cross over,” said Singletary, who had three steals. “I just put my hand down there and he put the ball on my hand.”
Singletary corralled it and made a mad dash to the hoop. Johnson fouled him from behind, but the UVa guard still got the layup out of his hand. Once it dropped, Singletary pumped his fist several times toward the ground as the crowd of 6,460 went crazy.
“Anything can happen, especially in the postseason,” Singletary said. “And when you put a lot into it, things like that happen.”
The free throw made it 78-75. Virginia fouled ODU immediately to avoid any look at a game-tying 3. Jonathan Adams made the first free throw to trim the lead to two. He tried to miss the second but was whistled for a lane violation, giving UVa possession. Guard Calvin Baker was fouled and hit both free throws to seal the win.
In addition to Singletary, four other Cavaliers reached double figures, led by Mamadi Diane’s 14. Jamil Tucker added 11, making three second-half 3-pointers to help UVa erase an eight-point halftime deficit.
Singletary tied a career-high with 10 assists.
It marked the first time since 1995 that Virginia won back-to-back postseason tournament games. Granted, the ‘95 team did it in the NCAA Tournament. The CBI isn’t quite the same, but it’s not shabby.
“Georgetown is a good team, but they are not playing anymore,” said UVa forward Lars Mikalauskas, who scored 10 points. “We’re still playing and we still … have a chance to finish the season as champions.”